--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fortune provides a man's table with…" description: "\"Fortune provides a man's table with luxuries, virtue with only a frugal meal.\" — Democritus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/democritus-4814_fortune_fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxu_2952397.png" --- # Fortune provides a man's table with luxuries, virtue with… ![“Fortune provides a man's table with luxuries, virtue with only a frugal meal.” quote by Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/democritus-4814_fortune_fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxu_2952397.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/democritus-4814_fortune_fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxu_2952397.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/democritus-4814_fortune_fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxu_2952397.png) > “Fortune provides a man's table with luxuries, virtue with only a frugal meal.” [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wealth provides material comforts, while virtue offers only modest sustenance. **In simple terms:** Wealth gives luxuries; virtue gives simple meals. Key Takeaway Value virtue over material excess. Themes ethics wealth moderation Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical maxim When to use this quote - personal finance - moral education - minimalist living Key Concepts philosophy ancient thought Questions to Reflect On - How does virtue sustain without wealth? - Can luxury coexist with virtue? A Different Perspective May undervalue practical needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Frugal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frugal/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [My parents were both in the army for 20 years and then worked in government departments; but they had gone through the Great Depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-webb/my-parents-were-both-in-the-army-for-20-years-and-then-worked-in/) [Veronica Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-webb/) > [I'm quite famously frugal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-bruce/i-m-quite-famously-frugal/) [Fiona Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-bruce/) > [“When you adopt a frugal lifestyle, start by re-examining your daily routines to make sure that you don’t spend any more money than is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-ingram/when-you-adopt-a-frugal-lifestyle-start-by-re-examining-your-daily/) Leah Ingram > [Safe Despair it is that raves- Agony is frugal. Puts itself severe away For its own perusal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/safe-despair-it-is-that-raves-agony-is-frugal-puts-itself-severe-away/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Mutability is the badge of infirmity. It is seldom that a man continues to wish and design the same thing two days alike. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-charron/mutability-is-the-badge-of-infirmity-it-is-seldom-that-a-man/) [Pierre Charron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-charron/) > [Taking food alone tends to make one hard and coarse. Those accustomed to it must lead a Spartan life if they are not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/taking-food-alone-tends-to-make-one-hard-and-coarse-those-accustomed/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [It is a common sentence that Knowledge is power; but who hath duly considered or set forth the power of Ignorance? Knowledge slowly builds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/it-is-a-common-sentence-that-knowledge-is-power-but-who-hath-duly-2/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/i-felt-once-more-how-simple-and-frugal-a-thing-is-happiness-a-glass/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyous words in the language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/frugality-is-one-of-the-most-beautiful-and-joyous-words-in-the/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-three-precious-things-which-i-hold-fast-and-prize-the-first-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Even the snow melts, let alone the frugal regards of a soul confident in its own eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/even-the-snow-melts-let-alone-the-frugal-regards-of-a-soul-confident/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agesilaus-ii/by-sowing-frugality-we-reap-liberty-a-golden-harvest/) [Agesilaus II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agesilaus-ii/) > [Having, First, gained all you can, and, Secondly saved all you can, Then give all you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/having-first-gained-all-you-can-and-secondly-saved-all-you-can-then/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“Isn't Glen an accountant? We're all frugal." These days, by necessity. "You might be frugal, but Glen is cheap. For Valentine's Day, he actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-bond/isn-t-glen-an-accountant-we-re-all-frugal-these-days-by-necessity-you/) [Stephanie Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-bond/) ## More by Democritus > [If your desires are not great, a little will seem much to you; for small appetite makes poverty equivalent to wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/if-your-desires-are-not-great-a-little-will-seem-much-to-you-for/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Men will cease to be fools only when they cease to be men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/men-will-cease-to-be-fools-only-when-they-cease-to-be-men/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Nothing exists but atoms and the void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/nothing-exists-but-atoms-and-the-void/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [If thou suffer injustice, console thyself; the true unhappiness is in doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/if-thou-suffer-injustice-console-thyself-the-true-unhappiness-is-in/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Men have made an idol of luck as an excuse for their own thoughtlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/men-have-made-an-idol-of-luck-as-an-excuse-for-their-own/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [By desiring little, a poor man makes himself rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/by-desiring-little-a-poor-man-makes-himself-rich/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [People sometimes rationalize their greed by saying that it is all for the good of their children but this is nothing but an excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/people-sometimes-rationalize-their-greed-by-saying-that-it-is-all-for/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Beautiful objects are wrought by study through effort, but ugly things are reaped automatically without toil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/beautiful-objects-are-wrought-by-study-through-effort-but-ugly-things/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Nature and education are somewhat similar. The latter transforms man, and in so doing creates a second nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/nature-and-education-are-somewhat-similar-the-latter-transforms-man/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [The wise man’s home is the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/the-wise-man-s-home-is-the-universe/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [“Accept nothing pleasant unless it is beneficial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/accept-nothing-pleasant-unless-it-is-beneficial/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Raising children is an uncertain thing; success is reached only after a life of battle and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/raising-children-is-an-uncertain-thing-success-is-reached-only-after/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Nature . . . has buried truth deep in the bottom of the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/nature-has-buried-truth-deep-in-the-bottom-of-the-sea/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [More men have become great through practice than by nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/more-men-have-become-great-through-practice-than-by-nature/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [Happiness resides not in possessions and not in golds; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul. Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/happiness-resides-not-in-possessions-and-not-in-golds-the-feeling-of/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) [Explore all 106 Democritus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) ## More Fortune quotes > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) Robbin Crosby > [From these inconsiderable attempts, some idea may be formed with what success, should Fortune afford an opportunity, I am likely to treat matters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giraldus-cambrensis/from-these-inconsiderable-attempts-some-idea-may-be-formed-with-what/) [Giraldus Cambrensis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giraldus-cambrensis/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You have a little bit of talent, a certain amount of good fortune and a lot of hard work in pursuit of whatever truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/you-have-a-little-bit-of-talent-a-certain-amount-of-good-fortune-and/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [No state of society or laws can render men so much alike but that education, fortune, and tastes will interpose some differences between them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/no-state-of-society-or-laws-can-render-men-so-much-alike-but-that/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [A great JRPG captures that feeling of going on an unusual adventure, of bringing a ragtag group of heroes from famine to fortune or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schreier/a-great-jrpg-captures-that-feeling-of-going-on-an-unusual-adventure/) [Jason Schreier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schreier/) > [A writer can make a fortune in America, but he can't make a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/a-writer-can-make-a-fortune-in-america-but-he-can-t-make-a-living/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [We make our fortunes and we call them fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/we-make-our-fortunes-and-we-call-them-fate/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [What is taken from the fortune, also, may haply be so much lifted from the soul. The greatness of a loss, as the proverb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/what-is-taken-from-the-fortune-also-may-haply-be-so-much-lifted-from/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [“We can so educate the will power that it will focus the thoughts upon the bright side of things, and upon objects which elevate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/we-can-so-educate-the-will-power-that-it-will-focus-the-thoughts-upon/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 2,945 Fortune quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fortune provides a man's table with luxuries, virtue with only a frugal meal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Democritus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxuries-virtue-with-only-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fortune" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxuries-virtue-with-only-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/democritus-4814_fortune_fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxu_2952397.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/democritus-4814_fortune_fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxu_2952397.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/democritus-4814_fortune_fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxu_2952397.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fortune provides a man's table with luxuries, virtue with only a frugal meal.” — Democritus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Democritus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fortune provides a man's table with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxuries-virtue-with-only-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/fortune-provides-a-man-s-table-with-luxuries-virtue-with-only-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```