--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the subject's easy we may all be wise…" description: "\"If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands unfirm, the smallest force overthrows.\" — Ovid" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c15/ovid-276_being-wise_if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise_2702720.png" --- # If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands… ![“If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands unfirm, the smallest force overthrows.” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c15/ovid-276_being-wise_if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise_2702720.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c15/ovid-276_being-wise_if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise_2702720.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c15/ovid-276_being-wise_if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise_2702720.png) > “If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands unfirm, the smallest force overthrows.” [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wisdom arises when situations are simple; even a tiny force can destabilize the unsteady. **In simple terms:** Simple matters can be wise; small forces can topple weak things. Key Takeaway Pay attention to subtle strengths. Themes wisdom power fragility Mood thoughtful inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - conflict resolution - personal growth - environmental activism Key Concepts philosophy political theory Questions to Reflect On - What “small force” can you harness? - When do you overlook subtle influences? A Different Perspective Small forces may be insufficient against strong resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Easy Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-wise-856890/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Force Overthrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force-overthrows-2746192/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Overthrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overthrows-1936025/) [Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest/) [Smallest Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest-force-2746193/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Unfirm Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfirm-smallest-2746191/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [It is easy to be wise on behalf of others than to be so for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-easy-to-be-wise-on-behalf-of-others-than-to-be-so-for-ourselves/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Changi for me - of course it's easy to be wise after the event, and to discuss it cleverly after the event - was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/changi-for-me-of-course-it-s-easy-to-be-wise-after-the-event-and-to/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [The mob is easily led and may be moved by the smallest force, so that its agitations have a wonderful resemblance to those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/the-mob-is-easily-led-and-may-be-moved-by-the-smallest-force-so-that/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) > [When God has once begun to throw down the prosperous, He overthrows them altogether: such is the end of the mighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-the-prosperous-he-overthrows/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [ A revolution is not a dinner party \[...\] A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/a-revolution-is-not-a-dinner-party-a-revolution-is-an-insurrection-an/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-revolution-is-not-a-dinner-party-or-writing-an-essay-or-painting-a-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Revolution is not a dinner party, nor an essay, nor a painting, nor a piece of embroidery; it cannot be advanced softly, gradually, carefully,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-pandita/revolution-is-not-a-dinner-party-nor-an-essay-nor-a-painting-nor-a/) [Rahul Pandita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-pandita/) > [“It was so easy to be wise in the explanation of an experience one has not personally witnessed. ("The Wendigo")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-blackwood/it-was-so-easy-to-be-wise-in-the-explanation-of-an-experience-one-has/) [Algernon Blackwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-blackwood/) > [“It is easy to be wise after the event.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-easy-to-be-wise-after-the-event/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“It is very difficult to see the future. It is very easy to be wise when things have passed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/it-is-very-difficult-to-see-the-future-it-is-very-easy-to-be-wise/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [It is more easy to be wise for others than for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-more-easy-to-be-wise-for-others-than-for-ourselves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be wise was to be above joy and sorrow, fear and pity, ambition and humiliation. It was to hate nothing and to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/to-be-wise-was-to-be-above-joy-and-sorrow-fear-and-pity-ambition-and/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Ovid > [Every woman thinks herself attractive; even the plainest is satisfied with the charms she deems that she possesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/every-woman-thinks-herself-attractive-even-the-plainest-is-satisfied/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Suppressed grief suffocates, it rages within the breast, and is forced to multiply its strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/suppressed-grief-suffocates-it-rages-within-the-breast-and-is-forced/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [It is some alleviation to ills we cannot cure to speak of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-some-alleviation-to-ills-we-cannot-cure-to-speak-of-them/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [ A mind conscious of right laughs at the falsehoods of rumour. \[Lat., Conscia mens recti famae mendacia risit.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/a-mind-conscious-of-right-laughs-at-the-falsehoods-of-rumour-lat/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Time is generally the best doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/time-is-generally-the-best-doctor/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [It is convenient that there be gods, and, as it is convenient, let us believe there are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-convenient-that-there-be-gods-and-as-it-is-convenient-let-us/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [I hate a woman who offers herself because she ought to do so, and cold and dry thinks of her sewing when making love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/i-hate-a-woman-who-offers-herself-because-she-ought-to-do-so-and-cold/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [The sea's vast depths lie open to the fish; Wherever the breezes blow the bird may fly; So to the brave man every land's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/the-sea-s-vast-depths-lie-open-to-the-fish-wherever-the-breezes-blow/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Rare is the virtue that's not ruled by Fortune, That stands unshaken even when Fortune flees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/rare-is-the-virtue-that-s-not-ruled-by-fortune-that-stands-unshaken/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Thus all things altered. Nothing dies. And here and there the unbodied spirit flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/thus-all-things-altered-nothing-dies-and-here-and-there-the-unbodied/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [How little is the promise of the child fulfilled in the man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/how-little-is-the-promise-of-the-child-fulfilled-in-the-man/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Judgement of beauty can err, what with the wine and the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/judgement-of-beauty-can-err-what-with-the-wine-and-the-dark/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Leave war to others; 'tis Protesilaus' part of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/leave-war-to-others-tis-protesilaus-part-of-love/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Remove but the temptations of leisure, and the bow of Cupid will lose its effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/remove-but-the-temptations-of-leisure-and-the-bow-of-cupid-will-lose/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) [Explore all 771 Ovid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) ## More Being wise quotes > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [To be wise was to be above joy and sorrow, fear and pity, ambition and humiliation. It was to hate nothing and to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/to-be-wise-was-to-be-above-joy-and-sorrow-fear-and-pity-ambition-and/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes, And pause awhile from letters, to be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/deign-on-the-passing-world-to-turn-thine-eyes-and-pause-awhile-from/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I feel I want to be wise with white hair in a tall library in a deep chair by a fireplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-corso/i-feel-i-want-to-be-wise-with-white-hair-in-a-tall-library-in-a-deep/) [Gregory Corso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-corso/) > [Were anyone wondering how Sen. Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) [Kimberley Strassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberley-strassel/) > [If we are going to be wise, spiritual people prepared to meet the crises of our age, we must be a studying, learning community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-moreland/if-we-are-going-to-be-wise-spiritual-people-prepared-to-meet-the/) [J.P. Moreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-moreland/) > [Literature provides us with experiences it would not be wise or possible to introduce into our own world and thus enlarges our understanding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rosenblatt/literature-provides-us-with-experiences-it-would-not-be-wise-or/) [Louise Rosenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rosenblatt/) > [Learned we may be with another man's learning: we can only be wise with wisdom of our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/learned-we-may-be-with-another-man-s-learning-we-can-only-be-wise/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [None of the modes by which a magistrate is appointed, popular election, the accident of the lot, or the accident of birth, affords, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/none-of-the-modes-by-which-a-magistrate-is-appointed-popular-election/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [The goal of a passionate artist is to try and make a masterpiece each and every time, yet be wise enough to know you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donato-giancola/the-goal-of-a-passionate-artist-is-to-try-and-make-a-masterpiece-each/) [Donato Giancola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donato-giancola/) > [License they mean when they cry Liberty; For who loves that, must first be wise and good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/license-they-mean-when-they-cry-liberty-for-who-loves-that-must-first/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [It almost seems as though this roiling world is conspiring to test our patience at every turn. In fact, it is. With this in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-almost-seems-as-though-this-roiling-world-is-conspiring-to-test/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) [Browse all 310 Being wise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands unfirm, the smallest force overthrows.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ovid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise-what-stands-unfirm-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being wise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise-what-stands-unfirm-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c15/ovid-276_being-wise_if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise_2702720.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c15/ovid-276_being-wise_if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise_2702720.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c15/ovid-276_being-wise_if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise_2702720.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands unfirm, the smallest force overthrows.” — Ovid", "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": "Ovid", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If the subject's easy we may...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise-what-stands-unfirm-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise-what-stands-unfirm-the/#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 } } ] } ```