We cannot control the evil tongues of others; but a good life enables us to disregard them.
Cato The ElderRead
Those who are serious in ridiculous matters will be ridiculous in serious matters.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that people who take trivial things too seriously will ultimately fail to handle important issues appropriately.
Cato the Elder's quote highlights the importance of perspective in assessing what is truly significant in life. By emphasizing that those who are overly serious about trivial matters will appear foolish when faced with serious issues, Cato encourages us to maintain a balanced viewpoint and prioritize what truly matters, reminding us that our attitudes can profoundly affect our effectiveness and credibility.
Themes
SeriousnessTrivialityPerspectiveWisdomBalance
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a discussion about workplace priorities.
More from Cato The Elder
All quotes βAn angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes.
Cato The ElderRead
I think the first virtue is to restrain the tongue; he approaches nearest to gods who knows how to be silent, even though he is in the right.
Cato The ElderRead
Tis sometimes the height of wisdom to feign stupidity.
Cato The ElderRead
Lighter is the wound foreseen.
Cato The ElderRead
Patience is the greatest of all virtues.
Cato The ElderRead
Similar quotes
One must always hope when one is desperate, and doubt when one hopes.
Gustave FlaubertRead
The true greatness of a person, in my view, is evident in the way he or she treats those with whom courtesy and kindness are not required.
Joseph B. WirthlinRead
Time marches on and sooner or later you realize it is marching across your face.
Dolly PartonRead
Humility is the most difficult of all virtues to achieve; nothing dies harder than the desire to think well of self.
T. S. EliotRead
You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand
Woodrow WilsonRead
Vengeance taken will often tear the heart and torment the conscience.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead