---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not to know what happened before means to…"
description: "\"Not to know what happened before means to remain forever a child.\" — Marcus Tullius Cicero"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_children_not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-t_1119549.jpg"
---

#  Not to know what happened before means to remain forever a…

![“Not to know what happened before means to remain forever a child.” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_children_not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-t_1119549.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_children_not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-t_1119549.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_children_not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-t_1119549.jpg)

> “Not to know what happened before means to remain forever a child.”

[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.

Ignorance of history prevents maturity; knowing the past is essential for growth.

**In simple terms:** Know past, avoid childishness.

Key Takeaway

Study history to mature.

Themes

knowledge history personal development

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

educational philosophical

When to use this quote

- school curriculum
- family storytelling
- career mentorship

Key Concepts

Philosophy education psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What lessons from history could you apply now?
- How does knowing your past shape your future?

A Different Perspective

Relying solely on present experience limits perspective.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Forever Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever-child-2437771/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Means Remain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-remain-3022103/) [Remain Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remain-forever-256669/)

## Related quotes

> [To be ignorant of the past is to be forever a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/to-be-ignorant-of-the-past-is-to-be-forever-a-child/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [To remain ignorant of history is to remain forever a child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/to-remain-ignorant-of-history-is-to-remain-forever-a-child/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [“Syadvaad means to remain as one as Atma (in the real) and to remain with different intents (in the relative, physically).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/syadvaad-means-to-remain-as-one-as-atma-in-the-real-and-to-remain/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [“Child who does not play is not a child, but the man who does not play has lost forever the child who lived within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/child-who-does-not-play-is-not-a-child-but-the-man-who-does-not-play/)

[Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/)

> [A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn't play has lost forever the child who lived in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/a-child-who-does-not-play-is-not-a-child-but-the-man-who-doesn-t-play/)

[Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/)

> [We were forever and always. My love for you being forever, while the child in you is always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-riccitello/we-were-forever-and-always-my-love-for-you-being-forever-while-the/)

[Dominic Riccitello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-riccitello/)

> [“I have forsaken her for a place I will never belong, but will always remain under her spell, forever to be, a child of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-g-bowers/i-have-forsaken-her-for-a-place-i-will-never-belong-but-will-always/)

[B.G. Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-g-bowers/)

> [“... I had stayed still and let the days pass, which is the best way to allow things in the real world to dissolve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-mar-as/i-had-stayed-still-and-let-the-days-pass-which-is-the-best-way-to/)

[Javier Marías](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-mar-as/)

> [As painters...we must always remember that our precious poetic visions and spiritual insights will remain forever locked within us until we can boil them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/as-painters-we-must-always-remember-that-our-precious-poetic-visions/)

[Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/)

> [Every moment comes to us pregnant with a command from God, only to pass on and plunge into eternity, there to remain forever what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/every-moment-comes-to-us-pregnant-with-a-command-from-god-only-to/)

[Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/)

> [What man is such a coward he would not rather fall once than remain forever tottering?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/what-man-is-such-a-coward-he-would-not-rather-fall-once-than-remain/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to the growth and development of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/problems-do-not-go-away-they-must-be-worked-through-or-else-they/)

[M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/)

> [The good thing about bad times is that it will not remain forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit/the-good-thing-about-bad-times-is-that-it-will-not-remain-forever/)

[Mohit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit/)

> [Answers come and go, I've found. But the questions? Those remain forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-a-barron/answers-come-and-go-i-ve-found-but-the-questions-those-remain-forever/)

[T.A. Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-a-barron/)

> [Memories will always remain forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/memories-will-always-remain-forever/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## 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 Child quotes

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/)

[Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/)

> [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/)

[LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/)

[Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/)

> [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/)

[Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/)

[Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/)

> [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

[Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/)

> [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/)

[Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/)

[Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Not to know what happened before means to remain forever a child.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Marcus Tullius Cicero"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-to-remain-forever-a-child/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Child"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-to-remain-forever-a-child/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_children_not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-t_1119549.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_children_not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-t_1119549.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_children_not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-t_1119549.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Not to know what happened before means to remain forever a child.” — 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": "Not to know what happened before...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-to-remain-forever-a-child/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/not-to-know-what-happened-before-means-to-remain-forever-a-child/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
