The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
On neither the sun, nor death, can a man look fixedly.
Interpretation
What this quote means
It is impossible for a person to gaze steadily at the ultimate realities of life and death.
This quote suggests that both the sun and death are monumental truths that elude direct confrontation. The sun, representing lifeβs brightness and vitality, and death, the inevitable end, both provoke awe and fear in human beings, making it difficult for one to contemplate them without wavering. It reflects the human tendency to shy away from the most profound aspects of existence.
Themes
LifeDeathTruthExistenceContemplation
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the nature of existence, this quote can remind us of the limitations of human perception.
More from Francois De La Rochefoucauld
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Some counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceived by them.
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Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
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The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body; after all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind, and they are in continual danger of breaking the skin and bursting out again.
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To understand matters rightly we should understand their details; and as that knowledge is almost infinite, our knowledge is always superficial and imperfect.
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