Desiderius Erasmus Quotes

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Desiderius Erasmus

Profession : Philosopher

Birth : October 28, 1466

War is sweet to those who have not experienced it.

Desiderius Erasmus

Nature, more of a stepmother than a mother in several ways, has sown a seed of evil in the hearts of mortals, especially in the more thoughtful men, which makes them dissatisfied with their own lot and envious of another's.

Desiderius Erasmus

By burning Luther's books you may rid your bookshelves of him, but you will not rid men's minds of him.

Desiderius Erasmus

Everybody hates a prodigy, detests an old head on young shoulders.

Desiderius Erasmus

The more ignorant, reckless and thoughtless a doctor is, the higher his reputation soars even amongst powerful princes.

Desiderius Erasmus

The desire to write grows with writing.

Desiderius Erasmus

Humility is truth.

Desiderius Erasmus

Now I believe I can hear the philosophers protesting that it can only be misery to live in folly, illusion, deception and ignorance, but it isn't -it's human.

Desiderius Erasmus

In the country of the blind the one eyed man is king.

Desiderius Erasmus

Man's mind is so formed that it is far more susceptible to falsehood than to truth.

Desiderius Erasmus

What difference is there, do you think, between those in Plato's cave who can only marvel at the shadows and images of various objects, provided they are content and don't know what they miss, and the philosopher who has emerged from the cave and sees the real things?

Desiderius Erasmus

A nail is driven out by another nail. Habit is overcome by habit.

Desiderius Erasmus

I doubt if a single individual could be found from the whole of mankind free from some form of insanity. The only difference is one of degree. A man who sees a gourd and takes it for his wife is called insane because this happens to very few people.

Desiderius Erasmus

Great eagerness in the pursuit of wealth, pleasure, or honor, cannot exist without sin.

Desiderius Erasmus

Concealed talent brings no reputation.

Desiderius Erasmus

It is an unscrupulous intellect that does not pay to antiquity its due reverence.

Desiderius Erasmus

Whether a party can have much success without a woman present I must ask others to decide, but one thing is certain, no party is any fun unless seasoned with folly.

Desiderius Erasmus

Don't give your advice before you are called upon.

Desiderius Erasmus

Luther was guilty of two great crimes - he struck the Pope in his crown, and the monks in their belly.

Desiderius Erasmus

The entire world is my temple, and a very fine one too, if I'm not mistaken, and I'll never lack priests to serve it as long as there are men.

Desiderius Erasmus