--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The easy, gentle, and sloping path…" description: "\"The easy, gentle, and sloping path . . . is not the path of true virtue. It demands a rough and thorny road.\" — Michel de Montaigne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7a/michel-de-montaigne-142_character_the-easy-gentle-and-sloping-path-is-not_3076426.jpg" --- # The easy, gentle, and sloping path . . . is not the path… ![“The easy, gentle, and sloping path . . . is not the path of true virtue. It demands a rough and thorny road.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7a/michel-de-montaigne-142_character_the-easy-gentle-and-sloping-path-is-not_3076426.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7a/michel-de-montaigne-142_character_the-easy-gentle-and-sloping-path-is-not_3076426.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7a/michel-de-montaigne-142_character_the-easy-gentle-and-sloping-path-is-not_3076426.jpg) > “The easy, gentle, and sloping path . . . is not the path of true virtue. It demands a rough and thorny road.” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True virtue requires effort and hardship, not easy comfort. **In simple terms:** Virtue is forged through challenges. Key Takeaway Embrace difficulty to develop character. Themes philosophy ethics personal growth Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - physical training - academic study - volunteering under adversity - creative problem solving Key Concepts virtue ethics stoicism self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What "y you choose a harder path? - How does struggle shape your moral character? A Different Perspective Easy paths may lead to complacency and shallow values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Demands Rough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demands-rough-2046032/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [Gentle Sloping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle-sloping-5227750/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Rough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rough/) [Sloping Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sloping-path-2783132/) [Thorny Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thorny-road-2556270/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Virtue shuns ease as a companion. It demands a rough and thorny path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/virtue-shuns-ease-as-a-companion-it-demands-a-rough-and-thorny-path/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“It’s a thorny road for dreamers and poets who fantasize of majestic places and deep-seated desires of the heart that their hands may never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-a-o-neal/it-s-a-thorny-road-for-dreamers-and-poets-who-fantasize-of-majestic/) [Terry a O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-a-o-neal/) > [“I’m happy. But some beauty is nonesuch - The gently sloping path across the wood, The wretched bridge that’s just a little skewed And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-akhmatova/i-m-happy-but-some-beauty-is-nonesuch-the-gently-sloping-path-across/) [Anna Akhmatova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-akhmatova/) > [“Financial demands, of all the rough winds that blow upon our love, (are) quite the coldest and the most biting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/financial-demands-of-all-the-rough-winds-that-blow-upon-our-love-are/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [I'll go gentle on him, ... I promise not to rough him up too much. I just think him saying stuff like that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-hatton/i-ll-go-gentle-on-him-i-promise-not-to-rough-him-up-too-much-i-just/) [Ricky Hatton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-hatton/) > [In our rough and rugged individualism, we think of gentleness as weakness, being soft and virtually spineless. Not so! Gentleness includes such enviable qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/in-our-rough-and-rugged-individualism-we-think-of-gentleness-as/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Time has stopped; time is racing. Lochie's lips are rough yet smooth, hard yet gentle. His fingers are strong: I feel them in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabitha-suzuma/time-has-stopped-time-is-racing-lochie-s-lips-are-rough-yet-smooth/) [Tabitha Suzuma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabitha-suzuma/) > [Custom is a violent and treacherous school mistress. 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Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [Caricature is rough truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/caricature-is-rough-truth/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Explore all 1,131 Michel de Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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