---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So it appears to me, for when he could…"
description: "\"“So it appears to me, for when he could and should have wielded his pen to praise the virtues of so good a knight, it seems he intentionally passes ove..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/miguel-de-cervantes-715_historians_so-it-appears-to-me-for-when-he-could-an_32595.png"
---

#  So it appears to me, for when he could and should have…

![“So it appears to me, for when he could and should have wielded his pen to praise the virtues of so good a knight, it seems he intentionally passes over them in silence, since historians must and ought to be exact, truthful, and absolutely free of passions, for neither interest, fear, rancor, nor…” quote by Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/miguel-de-cervantes-715_historians_so-it-appears-to-me-for-when-he-could-an_32595.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/miguel-de-cervantes-715_historians_so-it-appears-to-me-for-when-he-could-an_32595.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/135/miguel-de-cervantes-715_historians_so-it-appears-to-me-for-when-he-could-an_32595.png)

> ““So it appears to me, for when he could and should have wielded his pen to praise the virtues of so good a knight, it seems he intentionally passes over them in silence, since historians must and ought to be exact, truthful, and absolutely free of passions, for neither interest, fear, rancor, nor affection should make them deviate from the path of the truth, whose mother is history, the rival of time, repository of great deeds, witness to the past, example and adviser to the present, and forewarning to the future.””

[Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The author critiques historians who, despite the power to celebrate heroic figures, remain silent to maintain an unattainable objectivity, arguing that true history must be factual yet free from personal bias, serving as a timeless guide.

**In simple terms:** Historians should balance factual rigor with moral insight.

Key Takeaway

Objectivity can mute moral truth.

Themes

history objectivity bias truth morality narrative

Mood

reflective critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical critical historical

When to use this quote

- academic writing
- public discourse
- museum curation
- media reporting
- policy analysis

Key Concepts

historical accuracy ethical responsibility narrative silence

Practical Applications

- critical historiography
- ethical journalism

Questions to Reflect On

- How can historians acknowledge bias without compromising credibility?
- What role should moral evaluation play in historical scholarship?

A Different Perspective

Some argue that complete objectivity is impossible and that acknowledging bias can lead to more honest histories.

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[Good Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-knight-431280/) [Historians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historians/) [Historians Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historians-ought-431278/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Knight Intentionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knight-intentionally-431279/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Silence Historians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence-historians-431277/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

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## More by Miguel de Cervantes

> [Beware, gentle knight - the greatest monster of them all is reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/beware-gentle-knight-the-greatest-monster-of-them-all-is-reason/)

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> [He had a face like a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/he-had-a-face-like-a-blessing/)

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> [It is one thing to praise discipline, and another to submit to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/it-is-one-thing-to-praise-discipline-and-another-to-submit-to-it/)

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> [Those who'll play with cats must expect to be scratched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/those-who-ll-play-with-cats-must-expect-to-be-scratched/)

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> [“Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/too-much-sanity-may-be-madness-and-maddest-of-all-to-see-life-as-it/)

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