The glory of the king of all the kings. You with the golden power on your brows, You kings, I think you know not what you are. First you shall learn yourselves: for neither light Understandeth itself, nor darkness light.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Abercrombie questions whether rulers understand their own power, suggesting self-knowledge is as hard as understanding light or darkness.
- In plain terms
- Kings may not know who they really are even if they have power.
- What can you take from it?
- Power does not guarantee self-awareness.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Do powerful people understand themselves?
- Is power a form of blindness?
Another view
It simplifies the complexity of political knowledge.
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