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To ask for power is forcing uphill a stone which after all…

“To ask for power is forcing uphill a stone which after all rolls back again from the summit and seeks in headlong haste the levels of the plain.” quote by Lucretius
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“To ask for power is forcing uphill a stone which after all rolls back again from the summit and seeks in headlong haste the levels of the plain.”

Lucretius

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Seeking power is futile; it is like pushing a stone uphill that inevitably rolls back, returning to the plain.

In simple terms: Power pursuit is self‑defeating.

Key Takeaway

Recognize limits.

Themes

power ambition futility

Mood

reflective cautionary

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

  • career advancement
  • political ambition
  • personal goals
  • wealth accumulation

Key Concepts

philosophy stoicism

Questions to Reflect On

  • Is ambition always bad?
  • How to channel ambition healthily?
A Different Perspective

Power can corrupt.

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