What is the original French?

La parfaite valeur est de faire sans témoins ce qu'on serait capable de faire devant tout le monde. Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.

True courage is doing unseen what you'd do in front of everyone.

La Rochefoucauld, Maxims 216

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What it means

Many people are brave only with an audience. Real courage needs no witnesses. Act the same in the dark as in the light.

The source

"True courage is doing unseen what you'd do in front of everyone." La Rochefoucauld said it in Maxims 216. Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.

"La parfaite valeur est de faire sans témoins ce qu'on serait capable de faire devant tout le monde."

Original French, Maxims 216. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680). French duke and soldier who turned his disappointment with court life into some five hundred razor-sharp maxims about self-love.

Questions

What does "True courage is doing unseen what you'd do in front of everyone." mean?: Many people are brave only with an audience. Real courage needs no witnesses. Act the same in the dark as in the light.
Who said "True courage is doing unseen what you'd do in front of everyone."?: La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680). Source: Maxims 216.
What is the original French?: La parfaite valeur est de faire sans témoins ce qu'on serait capable de faire devant tout le monde. Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.
Is "True courage is doing unseen what you'd do in front of everyone." on a shirt?: Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

Cite this line

"True courage is doing unseen what you'd do in front of everyone." (La Rochefoucauld, Maxims 216, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/true-courage-is-doing-unseen-what-youd-do