Thomas More Flashcards
de optimo reipublicae statu
the best state of a commonwealth
“he studied Greek…
more than Latin because his main interest is philosophy”
“his sailing has…
not been like that of Palinurus, but more that of Ulysses, or rather of Plato”
“I’m suprised that…
you don’t enter some king’s service; for I don’t know of a single prince who wouldn’t be glad to have you”
“I do not mean…
that you should be in servitude to any king, only in his service” “the difference is only a matter of one syllable”
“as it is now…
I live as I please”
“there is in fact…
no greater duty than this one incumbent upon you as a good man”
“the penalty is…
too harsh in itself, yet it isn’t an effective deterrant”
“there are a great many…
noblemen who live idly like drones off the labour of others”
“[sheep] have…
become so greedy and fierce that they devour men themselves”
“your island…
will be ruined by the crass averice of a few”
“what else is this, I ask…
but first making them thieves and then punishing them for it”
“there is [a place]…
but not for this school philosophy”
“don’t give up…
the ship in a storm because you cannot direct the winds”
“While I try…
to cure others of madness, I’ll be raving along with them myself”
“we should withdraw…
our thought from the respect and regard of all worldly fantasies and so gather our faith together into a little narrow room”
“we should set it…
in the garden of our soul, all weeds being pulled out for the better feeding of our faith”
“those matters be…
king’s games, as it were stage plays, and for the more part played upon scaffolds… and they that wise be will meddle no further.”
“but what if..
he call it a horn? where am I then?”
“that takes its cue…
adapts itself to the drama in hand, and acts its partly neatly and appropriately”
“as though to hear…
of heaven were a heavy burden… they must refresh themselves after with a foolish tale!”
“They discuss virtue and pleasure…
but their chief concern is human happiness”
“Such a pestilent serpent…
is ambition and desire of vainglory and sovereignty, which among states where he once entereth creepeth forth so far, till with division and variance he turneth all to mischief.”
“the desire of a kingdom…
knoweth no kindred. The brother hath been the brother’s bane. And may the nephews be sure of their uncle?”
“The Utopians, however, deal…
more harshley with their own people than with the others, feeling that their crimes are worse and deserve stricter punishment because… they had an excellent education and the best of moral training.”
When was Utopia published?
1516
In which decade were Platos complete works first translated into Latin?
1480s
Which Italian priest was the first to translate Platos complete works into Latin in the 1480s?
Marsilio Ficino
