Character Quote by John Milton
“Prudence is the virtue by which we discern what is proper to do under various circumstances in time and place.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Paradise Lost, 1667
Prudence is the ability to judge appropriate actions given specific contexts and timing.
In simple terms: Prudence = good judgment for each situation.
Key Takeaway
Practice situational judgment.
Themes
virtue
decision‑making
ethics
Mood
philosophical
instructive
Type
reflective
serious
When to use this quote
- leadership
- daily choices
- moral dilemmas
Key Concepts
wisdom
timing
context
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you trusted prudence?
- How do you balance prudence with boldness?
A Different Perspective
Prudence can be paralyzed by over‑analysis.
![“[Prudence] is the virtue of that part of the intellect [the calculative] to which it belongs; and . . . our choice of actions will not be right without Prudence any more than without Moral Virtue, since, while Moral Virtue enables us to achieve the end, Prudence makes us adopt the right means to…” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be1/aristotle-78_achieve_prudence-is-the-virtue-of-that-part-of-t_431676.jpg)
