--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is difficult to tell how much men's…" description: "\"It is difficult to tell how much men's minds are conciliated by a kind manner and gentle speech.\" — Marcus Tullius Cicero" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_communication_it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-m_938904.jpg" --- # It is difficult to tell how much men's minds are… ![“It is difficult to tell how much men's minds are conciliated by a kind manner and gentle speech.” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_communication_it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-m_938904.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_communication_it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-m_938904.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_communication_it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-m_938904.jpg) > “It is difficult to tell how much men's minds are conciliated by a kind manner and gentle speech.” [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gentle speech and kindness can soften even the hardest minds. **In simple terms:** Kindness influences thoughts. Key Takeaway Speak kindly to persuade. Themes communication empathy influence Mood thoughtful respectful Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - negotiations - parenting - customer service Key Concepts rhetoric psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - When have you seen kindness fail? - How to balance firmness with gentleness? A Different Perspective Some may resist despite kindness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [“I love to lose myself in other men's minds. When I am not walking, I am reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-love-to-lose-myself-in-other-men-s-minds-when-i-am-not-walking-i-am/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Women are more difficult to handle than men. It's their minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sellers/women-are-more-difficult-to-handle-than-men-it-s-their-minds/) [Peter Sellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sellers/) > [Men's minds are as variant as their faces. Where the motives of their actions are pure, the operation of the former is no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/men-s-minds-are-as-variant-as-their-faces-where-the-motives-of-their/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [And not only did this great consolidated ecclesiasticism assume to lord it over men's earthly treasures, but they lorded it over men's minds, prescribing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-truett/and-not-only-did-this-great-consolidated-ecclesiasticism-assume-to/) [George W Truett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-truett/) > [Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/truth-may-perhaps-come-to-the-price-of-a-pearl-that-showeth-best-by/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Psychologists are men with nothing in their own minds, searching in the minds of others for an idea-in order to kill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-hooton/psychologists-are-men-with-nothing-in-their-own-minds-searching-in/) [Harry Hooton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-hooton/) > [The only real security for social well-being is the free exercise of men's minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-laski/the-only-real-security-for-social-well-being-is-the-free-exercise-of/) [Harold Laski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-laski/) > [Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurgood-marshall/our-whole-constitutional-heritage-rebels-at-the-thought-of-giving/) [Thurgood Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurgood-marshall/) > [I love to lose myself in other men's minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-love-to-lose-myself-in-other-men-s-minds/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Men's minds must be free, and that means the minds of all, not the minds of a select few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-barnett-gilson/men-s-minds-must-be-free-and-that-means-the-minds-of-all-not-the/) [Mary Barnett Gilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-barnett-gilson/) > [Men's minds are given to change in hate and friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/men-s-minds-are-given-to-change-in-hate-and-friendship/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Wars begin in the minds of men, and in those minds, love and compassion would have built the defenses of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-thant/wars-begin-in-the-minds-of-men-and-in-those-minds-love-and-compassion/) [U Thant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-thant/) > [If men's minds were like dominoes, surely his would be the double blank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse-2/if-men-s-minds-were-like-dominoes-surely-his-would-be-the-double-blank/) [P. G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse-2/) > [If so many men, so many minds, certainly so many hearts, so many kinds of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-so-many-men-so-many-minds-certainly-so-many-hearts-so-many-kinds/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The new supplants the old. Yet men's minds are stuffed with outworn bunk. Educating the young in the latest findings of authorities and scholars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-barnett-gilson/the-new-supplants-the-old-yet-men-s-minds-are-stuffed-with-outworn/) [Mary Barnett Gilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-barnett-gilson/) ## More by Marcus Tullius Cicero > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/gratitude-is-not-only-the-greatest-of-virtues-but-the-parent-of-all/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Things sacred should not only be touched with the hands, but unviolated in thought. \[Lat., Res sacros non modo manibus attingi, sed ne cogitatione…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/things-sacred-should-not-only-be-touched-with-the-hands-but/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Grief is not in the nature of things, but in opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/grief-is-not-in-the-nature-of-things-but-in-opinion/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Physicians, when the cause of disease is discovered, consider that the cure is discovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/physicians-when-the-cause-of-disease-is-discovered-consider-that-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum. (Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nihil-est-incertius-vulgo-nihil-obscurius-voluntate-hominum-nihil/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The foundations of justice are that on one shall suffer wrong; then, that the public good be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foundations-of-justice-are-that-on-one-shall-suffer-wrong-then/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-life-of-the-dead-is-set-in-the-memory-of-the-living/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Pardon is granted to necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/pardon-is-granted-to-necessity/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [History is the witness of the times, the light of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/history-is-the-witness-of-the-times-the-light-of-truth-the-life-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The Jews belong to a dark and repulsive force. One knows how numerous this clique is, how they stick together and what power they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-jews-belong-to-a-dark-and-repulsive-force-one-knows-how-numerous/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nature has planted in our minds an insatiable longing to see the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nature-has-planted-in-our-minds-an-insatiable-longing-to-see-the-truth/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Explore all 1,068 Marcus Tullius Cicero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) [Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is difficult to tell how much men's minds are conciliated by a kind manner and gentle speech.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Tullius Cicero" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-minds-are-conciliated-by-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Communication" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-minds-are-conciliated-by-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_communication_it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-m_938904.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_communication_it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-m_938904.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_communication_it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-m_938904.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is difficult to tell how much men's minds are conciliated by a kind manner and gentle speech.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero", "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": "Marcus Tullius Cicero", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is difficult to tell how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-minds-are-conciliated-by-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/it-is-difficult-to-tell-how-much-men-s-minds-are-conciliated-by-a/#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 } } ] } ```