Bed Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
“There is nothing that has caused me to meditate more on Plato's secrecy and sphinx-like nature, than the happily preserved petit fait that under the pillow of his death-bed there was found no 'Bible,' nor anything Egyptian, Pythagorean, or Platonic - but a book of Aristophanes. How could even Plato have endured life - a Greek life which he repudiated - without an Aristophanes!”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Untitled (quoted in secondary source), 19th century
The discovery of a comedic play among Plato’s possessions suggests that even profound philosophers engaged with humor, revealing a paradox between lofty ideas and everyday levity.
In simple terms: Even great thinkers enjoy humor.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humor in serious pursuits.
Themes
philosophy
humor
paradox
Mood
reflective
ironic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic study
- creative writing
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
contradiction
humanity
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this reveal about the balance of seriousness and play?
- Can humor undermine philosophical depth?
A Different Perspective
Humor may trivialize serious ideas.
![“Leave a cavity behind the [wall] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick or lava in courses, and then bind them to the fronts by means of iron clamps and lead. The beds and builds, all settling equally and bonded at the joints, will not let…” quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d76/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_bed_leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-a_5922.jpg)
