--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hold it the greatest sin to prefer…" description: "\"Hold it the greatest sin to prefer existence to honor, and for the sake of life to lose the reasons for living\" — Juvenal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/120/juvenal-918_existence_hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-exist_1947176.png" --- # Hold it the greatest sin to prefer existence to honor, and… ![“Hold it the greatest sin to prefer existence to honor, and for the sake of life to lose the reasons for living” quote by Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/120/juvenal-918_existence_hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-exist_1947176.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/120/juvenal-918_existence_hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-exist_1947176.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/120/juvenal-918_existence_hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-exist_1947176.png) > “Hold it the greatest sin to prefer existence to honor, and for the sake of life to lose the reasons for living” [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing mere survival over honor empties life of purpose. **In simple terms:** Honor matters more than mere existence. Key Takeaway Prioritize integrity over comfort. Themes honor purpose existence Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical moral When to use this quote - career decisions - political leadership - personal crises Key Concepts stoicism ethical living Questions to Reflect On - What does honor mean to you? - When might survival outweigh honor? A Different Perspective Honor can conflict with self‑preservation or safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-honor-3138608/) [Greatest Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-sin/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Prefer Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prefer-existence-953924/) [Reasons Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasons-living-953923/) [Sin Prefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin-prefer-3138610/) ## Related quotes > [Hold it the greatest sin to prefer existence to honour, and for the sake of life to lose the reasons for living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-existence-to-honour-and-for-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [More than honor, more than life, I love thee." What do you say when a man whose entire existence had been his honor offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/more-than-honor-more-than-life-i-love-thee-what-do-you-say-when-a-man/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“He whispered, “More than life, more than honor, I love thee.” What do you say when a man whose entire existence had been his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/he-whispered-more-than-life-more-than-honor-i-love-thee-what-do-you/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [It is in the knowledge of the genuine conditions of our lives that we must draw our strength to live and our reasons for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/it-is-in-the-knowledge-of-the-genuine-conditions-of-our-lives-that-we/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“DBT's catchphrase of developing a life worth living means you're not just surviving; rather, you have good reasons for living. I'm also getting better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-van-gelder/dbt-s-catchphrase-of-developing-a-life-worth-living-means-you-re-not/) [Kiera Van Gelder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-van-gelder/) > [Without a clear perception of his reasons for living, man will never consent to live, and will rather destroy himself than tarry on earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/without-a-clear-perception-of-his-reasons-for-living-man-will-never/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Remind yourself of your reasons for living. You have a future worth enduring for, and you deserve to have a renewed sense of purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-katafiasz/remind-yourself-of-your-reasons-for-living-you-have-a-future-worth/) [Karen Katafiasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-katafiasz/) > [I think that where you go wrong is that you imagine that your reasons for living ought to fall on you, ready-made from heaven,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/i-think-that-where-you-go-wrong-is-that-you-imagine-that-your-reasons/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Youth does not require reasons for living, it only needs pretexts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/youth-does-not-require-reasons-for-living-it-only-needs-pretexts/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [One of the most important reasons for living is to do something - live outside of yourself and put together an idea, an idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-palance/one-of-the-most-important-reasons-for-living-is-to-do-something-live/) [Jack Palance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-palance/) > [I no longer needed a reason for my existence, just a reason to live. And imagination, free will, love, humor, fun, music, sports, beer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-no-longer-needed-a-reason-for-my-existence-just-a-reason-to-live/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [“He said that some people can live from birth to death and have no more thoughts in their heads about the reasons for living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kent/he-said-that-some-people-can-live-from-birth-to-death-and-have-no/) [Kathleen Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kent/) > [Here among my books, my wife, my friends and my loves, I have plenty of reasons to keep living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-fuentes/here-among-my-books-my-wife-my-friends-and-my-loves-i-have-plenty-of/) [Carlos Fuentes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-fuentes/) > [“Riches are the reasons for living!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/riches-are-the-reasons-for-living/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [“For the mystery of human being does not solely rest in the desire to live, but in the problem—for what should one live at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevssky/for-the-mystery-of-human-being-does-not-solely-rest-in-the-desire-to/) [Fyodor Dostoevssky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevssky/) ## More by Juvenal > [Where have you ever found that man who stopped short after the perpetration of a single crime?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/where-have-you-ever-found-that-man-who-stopped-short-after-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Everything in Rome has its price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/everything-in-rome-has-its-price/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Astrology reveals the will of the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/astrology-reveals-the-will-of-the-gods/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [ Indignation leads to the making of poetry. \[Lat., Facit indignatio versum.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/indignation-leads-to-the-making-of-poetry-lat-facit-indignatio-versum/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [The short bloom of our brief and narrow life flies fast away. While we are calling for flowers and wine and women, old age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/the-short-bloom-of-our-brief-and-narrow-life-flies-fast-away-while-we/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Some men make money not for the sake of living, but ache In the blindness of greed and live just for their fortune's sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/some-men-make-money-not-for-the-sake-of-living-but-ache-in-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/quis-custodiet-ipsos-custodes-who-will-watch-the-watchers/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [All things may be bought in Rome with money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/all-things-may-be-bought-in-rome-with-money/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Who is to guard the guards themselves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/who-is-to-guard-the-guards-themselves/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Dedicate one's life to truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/dedicate-one-s-life-to-truth/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [A sound mind in a sound body is a thing to be prayed for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/a-sound-mind-in-a-sound-body-is-a-thing-to-be-prayed-for/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Only death reveals what a nothing the body of man is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/only-death-reveals-what-a-nothing-the-body-of-man-is/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [“show me the apartment 235 that lets you sleep! In this city sleep costs millions, and that’s the root of the trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/show-me-the-apartment-235-that-lets-you-sleep-in-this-city-sleep/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [ When a man's life is at stake no delay is too long. \[Lat., Nulla unquam de morte cunctatio longa est.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/when-a-man-s-life-is-at-stake-no-delay-is-too-long-lat-nulla-unquam/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [What man have you ever seen who was contented with one crime only?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/what-man-have-you-ever-seen-who-was-contented-with-one-crime-only/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) [Explore all 328 Juvenal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) ## More Existence quotes > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/universities-are-the-cathedrals-of-the-modern-age-they-shouldn-t-have/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Browse all 7,646 Existence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hold it the greatest sin to prefer existence to honor, and for the sake of life to lose the reasons for living", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Juvenal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-existence-to-honor-and-for-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Existence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-existence-to-honor-and-for-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/120/juvenal-918_existence_hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-exist_1947176.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/120/juvenal-918_existence_hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-exist_1947176.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/120/juvenal-918_existence_hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-exist_1947176.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hold it the greatest sin to prefer existence to honor, and for the sake of life to lose the reasons for living” — Juvenal", "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": "Juvenal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hold it the greatest sin to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-existence-to-honor-and-for-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/hold-it-the-greatest-sin-to-prefer-existence-to-honor-and-for-the/#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 } } ] } ```