Erasmus

Famous quotes containing the word erasmus:

    In short, no association or alliance can be happy or stable without me. People can’t long tolerate a ruler, nor can a master his servant, a maid her mistress, a teacher his pupil, a friend his friend nor a wife her husband, a landlord his tenant, a soldier his comrade nor a party-goer his companion, unless they sometimes have illusions about each other, make use of flattery, and have the sense to turn a blind eye and sweeten life for themselves with the honey of folly.
    —Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536)

    Man’s mind is so formed that it is far more susceptible to falsehood than to truth.
    —Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536)

    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 (c. 1466–1536)