The man who has sufficient power over himself to wait until his nature has recovered its even balance is the truly wise man, but such beings are seldom met with.
Giacomo CasanovaRead
The man who forgets does not forgive, he only loses the remembrance; forgiveness is the offspring of a noble heart, of a generous mind, whilst forgetfulness is only the result of a weak memory, or of an easy carelessness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Forgiveness stems from strength and nobility, while forgetting is often a sign of weakness or neglect.
This quote by Giacomo Casanova highlights the distinction between true forgiveness and mere forgetfulness. It suggests that a noble and generous heart is capable of forgiving others, recognizing the value of the offense and choosing to let go of the anger associated with it. In contrast, those who simply forget may not have genuinely processed their emotions, as forgetting can stem from a weak memory or carelessness rather than an active decision to forgive.
Themes
ForgivenessMemoryNobilityGenerosityStrength
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about resilience, one might say, 'Remember, true forgiveness is a sign of strength, not forgetfulness.'
More from Giacomo Casanova
All quotes →I have met with some of them - very honest fellows, who, with all their stupidity, had a kind of intelligence and an upright good sense, which cannot be the characteristics of fools.
Giacomo CasanovaRead
From that moment our love became sad, and sadness is a disease which gives the death-blow to affection.
Giacomo CasanovaRead
The mind of a human being is formed only of comparisons made in order to examine analogies, and therefore cannot precede the existence of memory.
Giacomo CasanovaRead
For my future I have no concern, and as a true philosopher, I never would have any, for I know not what it may be: as a Christian, on the other hand, faith must believe without discussion, and the stronger it is, the more it keeps silent.
Giacomo CasanovaRead
I have had friends who have acted kindly towards me, and it has been my good fortune to have it in my power to give them substantial proofs of my gratitude.
Giacomo CasanovaRead
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