All men are deceived by the appearances of things, even Homer himself, who was the wisest man in Greece; for he was deceived by boys catching lice, they said to him, 'What we have caught and what we have killed we have left behind, but what has escaped us we bring with us.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Everyone, even the wisest like Homer, is deceived by appearances; we misinterpret small details and overlook larger truths.
- In plain terms
- Appearances mislead us, even the most learned.
- What can you take from it?
- Look beyond surface details to grasp deeper reality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When do appearances reliably indicate truth?
- How can we balance skepticism with trust?
Another view
Sometimes appearances are reliable guides; skepticism can be paralyzing.
More from Heraclitus
Wisdom is one thing - to know how to make true judgment, how all things are steered through all things.
Permalink to quote #54 Where there is no strife there is decay: The mixture which is not shaken decomposes.
Permalink to quote #53 We are most nearly ourselves when we achieve the seriousness of the child at play.
Permalink to quote #52
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