--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything is indefinite, misty, and…" description: "\"“Everything is indefinite, misty, and transient; only virtue is clear, and it cannot be destroyed by any force. —MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO”\" — Leo Tolstoy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/leo-tolstoy-55_indefinite_everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-trans_1667922.png" --- # Everything is indefinite, misty, and transient; only… ![“Everything is indefinite, misty, and transient; only virtue is clear, and it cannot be destroyed by any force. —MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/leo-tolstoy-55_indefinite_everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-trans_1667922.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/leo-tolstoy-55_indefinite_everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-trans_1667922.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/leo-tolstoy-55_indefinite_everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-trans_1667922.png) > ““Everything is indefinite, misty, and transient; only virtue is clear, and it cannot be destroyed by any force. —MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO”” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Virtue is immutable and unshakable despite life's uncertainties. **In simple terms:** Virtue remains clear and indestructible. Key Takeaway Cultivate virtue to withstand life's changes. Themes virtue impermanence philosophy Mood reflective steady Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal challenges - ethical decisions - leadership Key Concepts ethics stoicism Questions to Reflect On - What virtues guide you? - How do you maintain them under pressure? A Different Perspective Virtue alone may not protect from external harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Indefinite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indefinite/) ## Related quotes > [“In time of war the law falls silent. —Marcus Tullius Cicero, 52 BC”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-c-rich/in-time-of-war-the-law-falls-silent-marcus-tullius-cicero-52-bc/) Frederic C. Rich > [“Spiritual activity, education, civilization, culture, the idea are all vague, indefinite concepts, under the banner of which it is quite convenient to use words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/spiritual-activity-education-civilization-culture-the-idea-are-all/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“What sweetness is left in life, if you take away friendship? Robbing life of friendship is like robbing the world of the sun. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero-tullius/what-sweetness-is-left-in-life-if-you-take-away-friendship-robbing-2/) Cicero Tullius > [Do not blame Caesar, blame the people of Rome who have so enthusiastically acclaimed and adored him and rejoiced in their loss of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintus-tullius-cicero/do-not-blame-caesar-blame-the-people-of-rome-who-have-so/) Quintus Tullius Cicero > [“Economics is a political argument. It is not – and can never be – a science; there are no objective truths in economics that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/economics-is-a-political-argument-it-is-not-and-can-never-be-a/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [“More than two thousand years ago, the Roman orator, belletrist, thinker, Stoic, manipulator-politician, and (usually) virtuous gentleman, Marcus Tullius Cicero, presented the following story.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/more-than-two-thousand-years-ago-the-roman-orator-belletrist-thinker/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Indefinite plans get dubious results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/indefinite-plans-get-dubious-results/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [The charge of being ambiguous and indefinite may be brought against every human composition, and necessarily arises from the imperfection of language. Perhaps no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-ellsworth/the-charge-of-being-ambiguous-and-indefinite-may-be-brought-against/) [Oliver Ellsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-ellsworth/) > [I pursue no objectives, no systems, no tendency; I have no program, no style, no direction. I have no time for specialized concerns, working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/i-pursue-no-objectives-no-systems-no-tendency-i-have-no-program-no/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [We are all under sentence of death, but with a sort of indefinite reprieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/we-are-all-under-sentence-of-death-but-with-a-sort-of-indefinite/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I have no time for specialized concerns, working themes or variations that lead to mastery... I like the indefinite, the boundless; I like continual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/i-have-no-time-for-specialized-concerns-working-themes-or-variations/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Hell is indefinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-williams/hell-is-indefinite/) [Charles Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-williams/) > [There is a line between a definite maybe and an indefinite yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/there-is-a-line-between-a-definite-maybe-and-an-indefinite-yes/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [While many people are trying to be in tune with infinite, what they really are is in tune with the indefinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-butterworth/while-many-people-are-trying-to-be-in-tune-with-infinite-what-they/) [Eric Butterworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-butterworth/) > [“Sometimes, the indefinite article 'an' seems unnecessary to me. We can use 'a' instead of 'an'. It will not create a huge problem if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/md-ziaul-haque/sometimes-the-indefinite-article-an-seems-unnecessary-to-me-we-can/) [Md. Ziaul Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/md-ziaul-haque/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Indefinite quotes > [“Spiritual activity, education, civilization, culture, the idea are all vague, indefinite concepts, under the banner of which it is quite convenient to use words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/spiritual-activity-education-civilization-culture-the-idea-are-all/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Hell is indefinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-williams/hell-is-indefinite/) [Charles Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-williams/) > [Indefinite plans get dubious results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/indefinite-plans-get-dubious-results/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [While many people are trying to be in tune with infinite, what they really are is in tune with the indefinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-butterworth/while-many-people-are-trying-to-be-in-tune-with-infinite-what-they/) [Eric Butterworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-butterworth/) > [There is a line between a definite maybe and an indefinite yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/there-is-a-line-between-a-definite-maybe-and-an-indefinite-yes/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Sometimes, the indefinite article 'an' seems unnecessary to me. We can use 'a' instead of 'an'. It will not create a huge problem if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/md-ziaul-haque/sometimes-the-indefinite-article-an-seems-unnecessary-to-me-we-can/) [Md. Ziaul Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/md-ziaul-haque/) > [I have no time for specialized concerns, working themes or variations that lead to mastery... I like the indefinite, the boundless; I like continual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/i-have-no-time-for-specialized-concerns-working-themes-or-variations/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [We are all under sentence of death, but with a sort of indefinite reprieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/we-are-all-under-sentence-of-death-but-with-a-sort-of-indefinite/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I pursue no objectives, no systems, no tendency; I have no program, no style, no direction. I have no time for specialized concerns, working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/i-pursue-no-objectives-no-systems-no-tendency-i-have-no-program-no/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [The charge of being ambiguous and indefinite may be brought against every human composition, and necessarily arises from the imperfection of language. Perhaps no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-ellsworth/the-charge-of-being-ambiguous-and-indefinite-may-be-brought-against/) [Oliver Ellsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-ellsworth/) > [Pleasure is a shadow, wealth is vanity, and power a pageant; but knowledge is ecstatic in enjoyment, perennial in frame, unlimited in space and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pleasure-is-a-shadow-wealth-is-vanity-and-power-a-pageant-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What made Guantanamo such a travesty - and what still makes it such - is that it is a system of indefinite detention whereby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/what-made-guantanamo-such-a-travesty-and-what-still-makes-it-such-is/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“I wonder where will I go now? The net is vast and indefinite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamoru-oshii/i-wonder-where-will-i-go-now-the-net-is-vast-and-indefinite/) [Mamoru Oshii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamoru-oshii/) > [Some persons never attain to the happy art of perspicuous expression, and it is equally true that some persons, thro' a mental defect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-ellsworth/some-persons-never-attain-to-the-happy-art-of-perspicuous-expression/) [Oliver Ellsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-ellsworth/) > [“Plans are deliberately indefinite, more to travel than to arrive anywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/plans-are-deliberately-indefinite-more-to-travel-than-to-arrive/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) [Browse all 24 Indefinite quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indefinite/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everything is indefinite, misty, and transient; only virtue is clear, and it cannot be destroyed by any force. —MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Tolstoy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-transient-only-virtue-is-clear-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Indefinite" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-transient-only-virtue-is-clear-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/leo-tolstoy-55_indefinite_everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-trans_1667922.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/leo-tolstoy-55_indefinite_everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-trans_1667922.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/leo-tolstoy-55_indefinite_everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-trans_1667922.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everything is indefinite, misty, and transient; only virtue is clear, and it cannot be destroyed by any…” — Leo Tolstoy", "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": "Leo Tolstoy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Everything is indefinite, misty, and transient;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-transient-only-virtue-is-clear-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/everything-is-indefinite-misty-and-transient-only-virtue-is-clear-and/#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 } } ] } ```