Ancient greek Quote by John Robbins
““The ancient Greeks told of a philosopher eating bread and lentils for dinner. He was approached by another man, who lived sumptuously by flattering the king. Said the flatterer, "If you would learn to be subservient to the king, you would not have to live on lentils." The philosopher replied, "If you would learn to live on lentils, you would not have to give up your independence in order to be docile and acquiescent to the king.””
About This Quote
Independence is valued over comfort; compromising freedom for ease is warned against.
In simple terms: Freedom matters more than comfortable subservience.
Prioritize autonomy over easy comforts.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- career choices
- political alignment
- personal lifestyle
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What comforts might you be sacrificing independence for?
- How do you maintain independence in a demanding environment?
Comfort can sometimes be a subtle form of control.