--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we traverse the world, it is possible…" description: "\"If we traverse the world, it is possible to find cities without walls, without letters, without kings, without wealth, without coin, without schools an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/plutarch-597_cities_if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible_2897743.jpg" --- # If we traverse the world, it is possible to find cities… ![“If we traverse the world, it is possible to find cities without walls, without letters, without kings, without wealth, without coin, without schools and theatres; but a city without a temple, or that practiseth not worship, prayer, and the like, no one ever saw.” quote by Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/plutarch-597_cities_if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible_2897743.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/plutarch-597_cities_if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible_2897743.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/plutarch-597_cities_if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible_2897743.jpg) > “If we traverse the world, it is possible to find cities without walls, without letters, without kings, without wealth, without coin, without schools and theatres; but a city without a temple, or that practiseth not worship, prayer, and the like, no one ever saw.” [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A city without spiritual practices is unseen, highlighting the importance of worship and moral foundations. **In simple terms:** Spiritual life defines a city’s existence. Key Takeaway Cultivate communal values and rituals. Themes philosophy society spirituality Mood reflective philosophical Type historical ethical When to use this quote - urban planning - community events - religious gatherings - education curricula Key Concepts ethics collective identity Questions to Reflect On - How do rituals shape community? - Can a city thrive without religion? A Different Perspective Secular societies may differ. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Temples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temples/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/) ## Related quotes > [Not stones, nor wood, nor the art of artisans make a state; but where men are who know how to take care of themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/not-stones-nor-wood-nor-the-art-of-artisans-make-a-state-but-where/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [He found in the world without as actual what was in his world within as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/he-found-in-the-world-without-as-actual-what-was-in-his-world-within/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I grew up in this world where everything seemed possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/i-grew-up-in-this-world-where-everything-seemed-possible/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [We have to craft new political realities, not only in places like India, Afghanistan, Kenya, Pakistan, but here at home as well. Another world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-steffen/we-have-to-craft-new-political-realities-not-only-in-places-like/) [Alex Steffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-steffen/) > [“An ordinary man can...surround himself with two thousand books...and thenceforward have at least one place in the world in which is is possible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-birrell/an-ordinary-man-can-surround-himself-with-two-thousand-books-and/) [Augustine Birrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-birrell/) > [“Sometimes you can not achieve what you want ... but why get upset when there is a world where anything is possible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scipanov-daniel/sometimes-you-can-not-achieve-what-you-want-but-why-get-upset-when/) Scipanov Daniel > [“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. Maybe many of us won't be here to greet her, but on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/another-world-is-not-only-possible-she-is-on-her-way-maybe-many-of-us/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [We live in the postmodern world, where everything is possible and almost nothing is certain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/we-live-in-the-postmodern-world-where-everything-is-possible-and/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [In my world, everything is possible and everything is relative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/in-my-world-everything-is-possible-and-everything-is-relative/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [We must apply our humble efforts to the construction of a more just and humane world. And I want to declare emphatically: Such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolfo-perez-esquivel/we-must-apply-our-humble-efforts-to-the-construction-of-a-more-just/) [Adolfo Perez Esquivel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolfo-perez-esquivel/) > [Define weird in a world where almost everything's possible and you have no concrete point of origin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/define-weird-in-a-world-where-almost-everything-s-possible-and-you/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [A more just world is possible. In most of the global issues, and also in so many of the development issues I'm involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-noor-of-jordan/a-more-just-world-is-possible-in-most-of-the-global-issues-and-also/) [Queen Noor of Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-noor-of-jordan/) > [A more just world is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-noor-of-jordan/a-more-just-world-is-possible/) [Queen Noor of Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-noor-of-jordan/) > [Something must be done to save humanity! A better world is possible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fidel-castro/something-must-be-done-to-save-humanity-a-better-world-is-possible/) [Fidel Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fidel-castro/) > [I think that the question of how power can be exerted from the lower reaches has never been more important. It will ultimately determine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-fox-piven/i-think-that-the-question-of-how-power-can-be-exerted-from-the-lower/) [Frances Fox Piven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-fox-piven/) ## More by Plutarch > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [The generous mind adds dignity to every act, and nothing misbecomes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/the-generous-mind-adds-dignity-to-every-act-and-nothing-misbecomes-it/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Painting is silent poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/painting-is-silent-poetry/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [King Agis said, "The Lacedæmonians are not wont to ask how many, but where the enemy are."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/king-agis-said-the-laced-monians-are-not-wont-to-ask-how-many-but/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Alexander wept when he heard from Anaxarchus that there was an infinite number of worlds; and his friends asking him if any accident had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/alexander-wept-when-he-heard-from-anaxarchus-that-there-was-an/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Proper listening is the foundation of proper living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/proper-listening-is-the-foundation-of-proper-living/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/painting-is-silent-poetry-and-poetry-is-painting-that-speaks/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Speech is like cloth of Arras opened and put abroad, whereby the imagery doth appear in figure; whereas in thoughts they lie but as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/speech-is-like-cloth-of-arras-opened-and-put-abroad-whereby-the/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [There were two brothers called Both and Either; perceiving Either was a good, understanding, busy fellow, and Both a silly fellow and good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/there-were-two-brothers-called-both-and-either-perceiving-either-was/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Why does pouring Oil on the Sea make it Clear and Calm? Is it that the winds, slipping the smooth oil, have no force,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/why-does-pouring-oil-on-the-sea-make-it-clear-and-calm-is-it-that-the/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [This excerpt is presented as reproduced by Copernicus in the preface to De Revolutionibus: "Some think that the earth remains at rest. But Philolaus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/this-excerpt-is-presented-as-reproduced-by-copernicus-in-the-preface/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [It is part of a good man to do great and noble deeds, though he risk everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/it-is-part-of-a-good-man-to-do-great-and-noble-deeds-though-he-risk/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [I am whatever was, or is, or will be; and my veil no mortal ever took up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/i-am-whatever-was-or-is-or-will-be-and-my-veil-no-mortal-ever-took-up/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [The pilot cannot mitigate the billows or calm the winds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/the-pilot-cannot-mitigate-the-billows-or-calm-the-winds/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [“In Springtime, O Dionysos, To thy holy temple come, To Elis with thy Graces, Rushing with thy bull-foot, come, Noble Bull, Noble Bull”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/in-springtime-o-dionysos-to-thy-holy-temple-come-to-elis-with-thy/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) [Explore all 451 Plutarch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) ## More Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we traverse the world, it is possible to find cities without walls, without letters, without kings, without wealth, without coin, without schools and theatres; but a city without a temple, or that practiseth not worship, prayer, and the like, no one ever saw.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plutarch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible-to-find-cities-without-walls/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible-to-find-cities-without-walls/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/plutarch-597_cities_if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible_2897743.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/plutarch-597_cities_if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible_2897743.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/plutarch-597_cities_if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible_2897743.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we traverse the world, it is possible to find cities without walls, without letters, without kings…” — Plutarch", "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": "Plutarch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we traverse the world, it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible-to-find-cities-without-walls/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/if-we-traverse-the-world-it-is-possible-to-find-cities-without-walls/#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 } } ] } ```