Skip to content

Authority Quote by Plutarch

“[Theseus] soon found himself involved in factions and troubles; those who long had hated him had now added to their hatred contempt; and the minds of the people were so generally corrupted, that, instead of obeying commands with silence, they expected to be flattered into their duty.” quote by Plutarch
Download Open image
““[Theseus] soon found himself involved in factions and troubles; those who long had hated him had now added to their hatred contempt; and the minds of the people were so generally corrupted, that, instead of obeying commands with silence, they expected to be flattered into their duty.””

Plutarch

About This Quote

Source Historical Text: Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, 1st century AD

Political factionalism erodes trust, leading to corruption and the loss of respectful obedience.

In simple terms: Factions corrupt societies.

Key Takeaway

Guard against divisive politics.

Themes

politics corruption trust

Mood

cautious critical

Type

philosophical historical

When to use this quote

  • government
  • community meetings
  • public policy
  • education

Key Concepts

civic virtue social cohesion leadership

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can societies rebuild trust after division?
  • What role does honest dialogue play?
A Different Perspective

Reforming institutions is difficult without broad consensus.

3.3 out of 5 (8 ratings)

More by Plutarch

Explore all 451 Plutarch quotes

More Authority quotes

Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes