---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the literary as well as military…"
description: "\"In the literary as well as military world, most powerful abilities will often be found concealed under a rustic garb.\" — Pliny the Elder"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08c/pliny-the-elder-2838_ability_in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-worl_304358.png"
---

#  In the literary as well as military world, most powerful…

![“In the literary as well as military world, most powerful abilities will often be found concealed under a rustic garb.” quote by Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08c/pliny-the-elder-2838_ability_in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-worl_304358.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08c/pliny-the-elder-2838_ability_in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-worl_304358.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08c/pliny-the-elder-2838_ability_in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-worl_304358.png)

> “In the literary as well as military world, most powerful abilities will often be found concealed under a rustic garb.”

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

## About This Quote

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

Powerful abilities often hide behind modest appearances, especially in literature and warfare.

**In simple terms:** Strength can be concealed by humble looks.

Key Takeaway

Look beyond appearances for true capability.

Themes

appearance humility power literature military

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

observational philosophical

When to use this quote

- leadership assessment
- character analysis
- military strategy
- literary critique

Key Concepts

Stoicism strategic insight

Questions to Reflect On

- How does disguise affect perception of ability?
- When should we trust appearances?

A Different Perspective

Assuming modesty always hides strength can be misleading.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Rustic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rustic/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm not very geeky. I'm quite homespun. I would say I'm more modern rustic than gadget-orientated. I like woollen things and log fires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/i-m-not-very-geeky-i-m-quite-homespun-i-would-say-i-m-more-modern/)

[Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/)

> [He who postpones the hour of living as he ought, is like the rustic who waits for the river to pass along (before he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/he-who-postpones-the-hour-of-living-as-he-ought-is-like-the-rustic/)

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

> [Scandinavian-Danish cuisine was something quite rustic, mostly known for pastries and smorgasbord cuisine, which in itself has become a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-redzepi/scandinavian-danish-cuisine-was-something-quite-rustic-mostly-known/)

[Rene Redzepi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-redzepi/)

> [I've always loved the rustic, slightly worn style of Canvas and that element of an artisanal hand. It's so inherently chic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-wu/i-ve-always-loved-the-rustic-slightly-worn-style-of-canvas-and-that/)

[Jason Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-wu/)

> [Grace is in a great measure a natural gift; elegance implies cultivation; or something of more artificial character. A rustic, uneducated girl may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/grace-is-in-a-great-measure-a-natural-gift-elegance-implies/)

[Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/)

> [There is virtue in country houses, in gardens and orchards, in fields, streams and groves, in rustic recreations and plain manners, that neither cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/there-is-virtue-in-country-houses-in-gardens-and-orchards-in-fields/)

[Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/)

> [Back in the day, Barry Crump not only had these stories that talked about that kind of rustic personality, but also, he spoke volumes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-darby/back-in-the-day-barry-crump-not-only-had-these-stories-that-talked/)

[Rhys Darby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-darby/)

> [The Gauls derided the hairy and gigantic savages of the North; their rustic manners, dissonant joy, voracious appetite, and their horrid appearance, equally disgusting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-gauls-derided-the-hairy-and-gigantic-savages-of-the-north-their/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [The Hobbits are just rustic English people, made small in size because it reflects the generally small reach of their imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hobbits-are-just-rustic-english-people-made-small-in-size-because/)

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

> [I will bring you flowers from the mountains, bluebells, dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses. I want to do with you what spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/i-will-bring-you-flowers-from-the-mountains-bluebells-dark-hazels-and/)

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

> [His sumptuous tents, and those of his satraps, afforded an immense booty to the conqueror; and an incident is mentioned which proves the rustic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/his-sumptuous-tents-and-those-of-his-satraps-afforded-an-immense/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [There is a homely directness about these rustic apothegms which makes them far more palatable than the strained and sophisticated epigrams of the characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brander-matthews/there-is-a-homely-directness-about-these-rustic-apothegms-which-makes/)

[Brander Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brander-matthews/)

> [The dwarves of course are quite obviously, couldn't you say that in many ways they remind you of the Jews? Their words are Semitic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-dwarves-of-course-are-quite-obviously-couldn-t-you-say-that-in/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [There are elements of intrinsic beauty in the simplification of a house built on the log cabin idea. First, there is the bare beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-stickley/there-are-elements-of-intrinsic-beauty-in-the-simplification-of-a/)

[Gustav Stickley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-stickley/)

> [I have worked with wool all my life as a designer. There's so much more to it than knitwear - it's an amazingly versatile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-worked-with-wool-all-my-life-as-a-designer-there-s-so-much/)

[Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/)

## More by Pliny the Elder

> [Simple diet is best: for many dishes bring many diseases, and rich sauces are worse than even heaping several meats upon each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/simple-diet-is-best-for-many-dishes-bring-many-diseases-and-rich/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [Amid the sufferings of life on earth, suicide is God's best gift to man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/amid-the-sufferings-of-life-on-earth-suicide-is-god-s-best-gift-to-man/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [The happier the moment the shorter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/the-happier-the-moment-the-shorter/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [Indeed, what is there that does not appear marvelous when it comes to our knowledge for the first time? How many things, too, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/indeed-what-is-there-that-does-not-appear-marvelous-when-it-comes-to/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [Accustom yourself to master and overcome things of difficulty; for if you observe, the left hand for want of practice is insignificant, and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/accustom-yourself-to-master-and-overcome-things-of-difficulty-for-if/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [As land is improved by sowing it with various seeds, so is the mind by exercising it with different studies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/as-land-is-improved-by-sowing-it-with-various-seeds-so-is-the-mind-by/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [True happiness consists in being considered deserving of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/true-happiness-consists-in-being-considered-deserving-of-it/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [The largest land animal is the elephant, and it is the nearest to man in intelligence: it understands the language of its country and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/the-largest-land-animal-is-the-elephant-and-it-is-the-nearest-to-man/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [Many dishes bring many diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/many-dishes-bring-many-diseases/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [Man naturally yearns for novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/man-naturally-yearns-for-novelty/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [With man, most of his misfortunes are occasioned by man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/with-man-most-of-his-misfortunes-are-occasioned-by-man/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [Better do nothing than do ill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/better-do-nothing-than-do-ill/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [It is this earth that, like a kind mother, receives us at our birth, and sustains us when born; it is this alone, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/it-is-this-earth-that-like-a-kind-mother-receives-us-at-our-birth-and/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [His only fault is that he has no fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/his-only-fault-is-that-he-has-no-fault/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [On a farm the best fertilizer is the master's eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/on-a-farm-the-best-fertilizer-is-the-master-s-eye/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

[Explore all 147 Pliny the Elder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

## More Ability quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/)

[Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/)

> [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/)

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

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/)

[Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/)

[Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In the literary as well as military world, most powerful abilities will often be found concealed under a rustic garb.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Pliny the Elder"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-world-most-powerful-abilities/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ability"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-world-most-powerful-abilities/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08c/pliny-the-elder-2838_ability_in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-worl_304358.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08c/pliny-the-elder-2838_ability_in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-worl_304358.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08c/pliny-the-elder-2838_ability_in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-worl_304358.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In the literary as well as military world, most powerful abilities will often be found concealed under a…” — Pliny the Elder",
                "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": "Pliny the Elder",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In the literary as well as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-world-most-powerful-abilities/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/in-the-literary-as-well-as-military-world-most-powerful-abilities/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```