--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Romans had a great general named…" description: "\"“The Romans had a great general named Cincinnatus. The legend is that he had wanted to live quietly on his farm but was persuaded twice to return to pu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cac/elaine-n-aron-22042_quote_the-romans-had-a-great-general-named-cin_1665470.jpg" --- # The Romans had a great general named Cincinnatus. The… ![“The Romans had a great general named Cincinnatus. The legend is that he had wanted to live quietly on his farm but was persuaded twice to return to public” quote by Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cac/elaine-n-aron-22042_quote_the-romans-had-a-great-general-named-cin_1665470.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cac/elaine-n-aron-22042_quote_the-romans-had-a-great-general-named-cin_1665470.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cac/elaine-n-aron-22042_quote_the-romans-had-a-great-general-named-cin_1665470.jpg) > ““The Romans had a great general named Cincinnatus. The legend is that he had wanted to live quietly on his farm but was persuaded twice to return to public”” [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cincinnatus exemplifies the reluctant leader who serves when duty calls, despite a desire for quiet. **In simple terms:** Reluctant leaders answer duty. Key Takeaway Recognize duty over personal comfort. Themes leadership service reluctance Mood reflective historical Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - political office - community emergencies - family crises Key Concepts history philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - When should you accept a call to serve? - How to balance service and personal peace? A Different Perspective Reluctance can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Romans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romans/) ## Related quotes > [“What are these hopes, and who is this savior?” “Imagination,” replied Cincinnatus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/what-are-these-hopes-and-who-is-this-savior-imagination-replied/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“What a misunderstanding” said Cincinnatus and suddenly burst out laughing. He stood up and took off the dressing gown, the skullcap, the slippers. 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This class balances the kings and warriors (as the U.S.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/for-aggressive-societies-to-survive-however-they-always-need-that/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [“The world needs to coax more such folks into public positions. But if they don't coax us, we had better volunteer now and then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/the-world-needs-to-coax-more-such-folks-into-public-positions-but-if/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [“But for you, work is play. Not to work would be work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/but-for-you-work-is-play-not-to-work-would-be-work/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [“We make it especially hard for others to observe our trait when it means we are observing and not "behaving," at least at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/we-make-it-especially-hard-for-others-to-observe-our-trait-when-it/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [“As adults, HSPs tend to have just the right personalities for inner work and healing. Generally speaking, your keen intuition helps you uncover the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/as-adults-hsps-tend-to-have-just-the-right-personalities-for-inner/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) [Explore all 28 Elaine N. Aron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) ## More Romans quotes > [“When the ancient Romans would conquer a new place or a new people, they would leave the language and the customs in tact –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/when-the-ancient-romans-would-conquer-a-new-place-or-a-new-people/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [“The central government was a despotism tempered by military rebellion and assassination and replacement of one scurvy lot of ruling dynasts by another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-central-government-was-a-despotism-tempered-by-military-rebellion/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [The Romans knew it: quod me alit me extinguit, they said: That which nourishes me, extinguishes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-romans-knew-it-quod-me-alit-me-extinguit-they-said-that-which/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“The Romans, Jones pointed out, called a man in love salax, in a salted state, which is the origin of the word salacious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-romans-jones-pointed-out-called-a-man-in-love-salax-in-a-salted/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [Rome has betrayed itself. 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