Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
Alexander PopeRead
Those oft are stratagems which errors seem Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that what appears to be mistakes might actually be clever strategies, and that our perceptions can be misleading.
In this quote by Alexander Pope, the author reflects on the nature of perception and understanding. He suggests that what we may interpret as errors in the works of great poets, like Homer, could instead be deliberate choices, and that it is our own misconceptions that cloud our judgment. This highlights the complexities of interpretation and the idea that there is often more beneath the surface of what we perceive.
Themes
PerceptionUnderstandingInterpretationErrorsDream
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about literature, you could use this quote to emphasize the importance of interpretation.
More from Alexander Pope
All quotes βWhat dire offence from am'rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things.
Alexander PopeRead
Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare; And beauty draws us with a single hair.
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An honest man's the noblest work of God.
Alexander PopeRead
One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight;_x000D_ _x000D_ Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight.
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Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?
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