I delight to lodge in such temples as are not regularly kept closed. None of the gods reject me; they make me partner of their roof.
Apollonius Of TyanaRead
Never may a man prone to believe scandal be a despot or a popular leader! Under his guidance, democracy itself will be despotism.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Believing in scandals prevents a person from being a good leader, leading to oppression even in a democracy.
This quote emphasizes the dangers of being gullible and susceptible to scandalous rumors, particularly for those in positions of power. A leader who cannot discern truth from deception ultimately undermines democratic principles, resulting in a form of despotism that betrays the very ideals of democracy.
Themes
ScandalLeadershipDemocracyDespotismTruth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a political debate to emphasize the importance of integrity in leadership.
More from Apollonius Of Tyana
All quotes βJust as an individual of pre-eminent worth transforms democracy into a monarchy of the best man, even so the rule of one man, if in all things it has an eye to the common welfare, is democracy.
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A man must fortify himself and understand that a wise man who yields to laziness or anger or passion or love of drink, or who commits any other action prompted by impulse and inopportune, will probably find his fault condoned; but if he stoops to greed, he will not be pardoned, but render himself odious as a combination of all vices at once.
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If any man has left us for fear of Nero, I shall not account him a coward; but I shall hail as a philosopher any man who has been superior to this fear, and I shall teach him all I know.
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If you have problems of conduct that are difficult and hard to settle, I will furnish you with solutions, for I not only know matters of practice and duty, but I even know them beforehand.
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O ye gods, grant unto me to have little and to want nothing.
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