Philosophers / Thinkers

65 Michel de Montaigne Quotes (PHILOSOPHER)

December 1, 2023December 1, 2023

Top 10 Most Famous Michel de Montaigne Quotes (BEST)

The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness. — The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness.

A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears. — A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears.

My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

I quote others only in order the better to express myself.

I do not care so much what I am to others as I care what I am to myself.

On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.

Lying is a terrible vice, it testifies that one despises God, but fears men. — Lying is a terrible vice, it testifies that one despises God, but fears men.

I speak the truth, not so much as I would, but as much as I dare; and I dare a little more as I grow older. — I speak the truth, not so much as I would, but as much as I dare; and I dare a little more as I grow older.

The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them… Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years, but on your will.

3 Michel de Montaigne Quotes on Marriage

Marriage is like a cage; one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside equally desperate to get out. — Marriage is like a cage; one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside equally desperate to get out.

A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. — A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.

If there is such a thing as a good marriage, it is because it resembles friendship rather than love. — If there is such a thing as a good marriage, it is because it resembles friendship rather than love.

11 Wise Michel de Montaigne Quotes to Live By (WISDOM)

We can be knowledgable with other men's knowledge but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom. — We can be knowledgable with other men’s knowledge but we cannot be wise with other men’s wisdom.

I will be rich by myself, and not by borrowing.

Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one's own goodness. — Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one’s own goodness.

Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do. — Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do.

It is good to rub and polish our brain against that of others.

Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of soul, impossible.

Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.

Don't discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose; if you belittle yourself, you are believed; if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved. — Don’t discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose; if you belittle yourself, you are believed; if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved.

No wind serves him who addresses his voyage to no certain port.

A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself.

There is no desire more natural than the desire for knowledge. — There is no desire more natural than the desire for knowledge.

12 Michel de Montaigne Quotes that will Make You Think

If I speak of myself in different ways, that is because I look at myself in different ways.

There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.

Sometimes it is a good choice not to choose at all.

Men are most apt to believe what they least understand.

There is no passion so contagious as that of fear. — There is no passion so contagious as that of fear.

Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it.

A straight oar looks bent in the water. What matters is not merely that we see things but how we see them.

I am afraid that our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, and that we have more curiosity than understanding. We grasp at everything, but catch nothing except wind.

Stubborn and ardent clinging to one's opinion is the best proof of stupidity. — Stubborn and ardent clinging to one’s opinion is the best proof of stupidity.

Obsession is the wellspring of genius and madness. — Obsession is the wellspring of genius and madness.

When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.

Ignorance is the softest pillow on which a man can rest his head.

2 Michel de Montaigne Quotes on Courage

Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul. — Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.

The strangest, most generous, and proudest of all virtues is true courage.

15 Michel de Montaigne Quotes About Life

“We must learn to endure what we cannot avoid. Our life is composed, like the harmony of the world, of contrary things, also of different tones, sweet and harsh, sharp and flat, soft and loud. If a musician liked only one kind, what would he have to say?”
Michel de Montaigne

The soul which has no fixed purpose in life is lost; to be everywhere, is to be nowhere. — The soul which has no fixed purpose in life is lost; to be everywhere, is to be nowhere.

There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent. — There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent.

The pleasantest things in the world are pleasant thoughts, and the great art of life is to have as many of them as possible.

There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees.

I know well what I am fleeing from but not what I am in search of.

It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity. — It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity.

If you press me to say why I loved him, I can say no more than because he was he, and I was I.

The greater part of the world's troubles are due to questions of grammar. — The greater part of the world’s troubles are due to questions of grammar.

It is not necessity but abundance which produces greed.

He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.

We are more unhappy to see people ahead of us than happy to see people behind us.

Fortune, seeing that she could not make fools wise, has made them lucky. — Fortune, seeing that she could not make fools wise, has made them lucky.

I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.

My art and profession is to live.

2 Michel de Montaigne Quotes on Cats

In nine lifetimes, you'll never know as much about your cat as your cat knows about you. — In nine lifetimes, you’ll never know as much about your cat as your cat knows about you.

When I play with my cat, who knows whether she is not amusing herself with me more than I with her.

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