Hardest thing? Knowing yourself. Easiest? Advising others.
Thales, Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1
Hardest thing? Knowing yourself. Easiest? Advising others.
Thales, Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1
The source
"Hardest thing? Knowing yourself. Easiest? Advising others." Thales said it in Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1. Translated by C. D. Yonge, 1853.
"When he was asked what was very difficult, he said, To know oneself. And what was easy, To advise another"C. D. Yonge, 1853, Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1. Anecdote reported by Diogenes Laertius (3rd century AD).
Who said it
The Seven Sages (6th century BC). Thales, Pittacus, Cleobulus, Periander and the other sages whose maxims were carved at Delphi.
Questions
- Who said "Hardest thing? Knowing yourself. Easiest? Advising others."?
- Thales (6th century BC). Source: Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1.
- What is the original wording?
- When he was asked what was very difficult, he said, To know oneself. And what was easy, To advise another (C. D. Yonge, 1853). Translated by C. D. Yonge, 1853.
Filed under Calm.
Wear Thales
Know your moment.
Pittacus, Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1
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Know yourself.
Delphic maxim, Delphic inscription (Plato, Protagoras 343b)
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A calm mind is a citadel.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.48
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Bitter cucumber? Toss it. Thorns on the trail? Step around.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.50
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More from The Seven Sages
- Know yourself.Delphic inscription (Plato, Protagoras 343b)
- Nothing in excess.Delphic inscription (Plato, Protagoras 343b)
- Know your moment.Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1
- Measure is best.Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1
- Practice is everything.Diogenes Laertius, Lives 1
- Forgiveness beats revenge.Epictetus, Fragment 68