A monkey is always a monkey," says the proverb, "even if…
““A monkey is always a monkey," says the proverb, "even if he has birth-tokens of gold." Although you have a book in your hand and read all the time, you do not understand a single thing that you read, but you are like the donkey that listens to the lyre and wags his ears. If possessing books made their owner learned, they would indeed be a possession of great price, and only rich men like you would have them, since you could buy them at auction, as it were, outbidding us poor men. In that case, however, who could rival the dealers and booksellers for learning, who possess and sell so many books ? But if you care to look into the matter, you will see that they are not much superior to you in that point; they are barbarous of speech and obtuse in mind like you—just what one would expect people to be who have no conception of what is good and bad. Yet you have only two or three books which they themselves have sold you, while they handle books night and day.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Wealth and books do not guarantee wisdom; without true understanding, knowledge is useless.
In simple terms: Books alone don’t teach wisdom.
Key Takeaway
Seek understanding, not just possession.
Themes
knowledge
wisdom
class
education
humility
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
aphilosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- studying philosophy
- teaching
- reading critically
- avoiding pretentiousness
Key Concepts
philosophy
satire
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you measure true learning?
- What makes knowledge valuable beyond ownership?
A Different Perspective
Having many books can mask ignorance if not reflected upon.