--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is indeed a desirable thing to be…" description: "\"It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.\" — Plutarch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/plutarch-597_desirable_it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-wel_1275103.jpg" --- # It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but… ![“It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.” quote by Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/plutarch-597_desirable_it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-wel_1275103.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/plutarch-597_desirable_it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-wel_1275103.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/plutarch-597_desirable_it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-wel_1275103.jpg) > “It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.” [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. Being of noble birth is valued, yet true honor belongs to one’s forebears. **In simple terms:** Ancestral glory outweighs personal pedigree. Key Takeaway Honor your ancestors. Themes heritage honor humility Mood reflective respectful Type historical When to use this quote - family gatherings - historical research - genealogy Key Concepts legacy family reputation Questions to Reflect On - Do we overvalue lineage? - How can we honor ancestors today? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) ## Related quotes > [“It is certainly desirable to be well descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/it-is-certainly-desirable-to-be-well-descended-but-the-glory-belongs/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [In all matters moderation is desirable. If a thing is carried to excess, it will prove a source of evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/in-all-matters-moderation-is-desirable-if-a-thing-is-carried-to/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [The most desirable thing in life after health and modest means is leisure with dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-most-desirable-thing-in-life-after-health-and-modest-means-is/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [For surely to be wise is the most desirable thing in all the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/for-surely-to-be-wise-is-the-most-desirable-thing-in-all-the-world/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Your body belongs to the earth. In modern life, people tend to think their bodies belong to them, that they can do anything they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/your-body-belongs-to-the-earth-in-modern-life-people-tend-to-think/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“In modern life, people tend to think their bodies belong to them, that they can do anything they want to themselves. But your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/in-modern-life-people-tend-to-think-their-bodies-belong-to-them-that/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“ Glory? The Angel sounded faintly curious, as if the word were strange to him. Glory belongs to God alone. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/glory-the-angel-sounded-faintly-curious-as-if-the-word-were-strange/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [For every Victory, the Glory belongs to God. He made it possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/for-every-victory-the-glory-belongs-to-god-he-made-it-possible/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Glory belongs to God, of course; that's what the word really means. And you can't serve God with a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/glory-belongs-to-god-of-course-that-s-what-the-word-really-means-and/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [Glory belongs to the act of being constant to something greater than yourself, to a cause, to your principles, to the people on whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/glory-belongs-to-the-act-of-being-constant-to-something-greater-than-2/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/god-is-not-willing-to-do-everything-and-thus-take-away-our-free-will/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [All glory belongs to God. All victory comes from Him. That I'm one of the vessels being used for this purposes is enough reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/all-glory-belongs-to-god-all-victory-comes-from-him-that-i-m-one-of/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Glory?…Glory belongs to God alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/glory-glory-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Glory belongs to the act of being constant to something greater than yourself, to a cause, to your principles, to the people on whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/glory-belongs-to-the-act-of-being-constant-to-something-greater-than/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Glory is not a conceit. It is not a decoration for valor. Glory belongs to the act of being constant to something greater than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/glory-is-not-a-conceit-it-is-not-a-decoration-for-valor-glory-belongs/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## 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 Desirable quotes > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I'm happy to be considered desirable. I love it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-m-happy-to-be-considered-desirable-i-love-it/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [Things to be done offer themselves, I suppose, because they are in themselves desirable; not because it is desirable to have something to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/things-to-be-done-offer-themselves-i-suppose-because-they-are-in/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [The goal in raising one's child is to enable him, first, to discover who he wants to be, and then to become a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-bettelheim/the-goal-in-raising-one-s-child-is-to-enable-him-first-to-discover/) [Bruno Bettelheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-bettelheim/) > [“The great thing about facts is that you don't have to ponder whether they're desirable or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesb/the-great-thing-about-facts-is-that-you-don-t-have-to-ponder-whether/) [Jo Nesbø](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesb/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I don't just live to work because I don't think that's healthy or desirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-dickinson/i-don-t-just-live-to-work-because-i-don-t-think-that-s-healthy-or/) [Harris Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-dickinson/) > [Common sense is both more rare and more desirable in leaders than mere intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/common-sense-is-both-more-rare-and-more-desirable-in-leaders-than/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When the desirable jobs are spending other people's money, reporting on spending other people's money and lobbying to spend other people's money then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-worstall/when-the-desirable-jobs-are-spending-other-people-s-money-reporting/) Tim Worstall > [Social and cultural change, however desirable, should not be effected by the engines of national power. Let us, through persuasion and education, seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/social-and-cultural-change-however-desirable-should-not-be-effected/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [To me the function of politics is to make possible the desirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/to-me-the-function-of-politics-is-to-make-possible-the-desirable/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [It is the common calamity of old age to lose whatever might have rendered it desirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/it-is-the-common-calamity-of-old-age-to-lose-whatever-might-have/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Desire itself is movement Not in itself desirable; Love is itself unmoving, Only the cause and end of movement, Timeless, and undesiring Except in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/desire-itself-is-movement-not-in-itself-desirable-love-is-itself/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [Rhythm is born in all of us. To be a desirable dancing partner, you don't have to do all the intricate fancy steps that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-rogers/rhythm-is-born-in-all-of-us-to-be-a-desirable-dancing-partner-you-don/) [Ginger Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-rogers/) Browse all 509 Desirable quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plutarch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-well-descended-but-the-glory/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desirable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-well-descended-but-the-glory/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/plutarch-597_desirable_it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-wel_1275103.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/plutarch-597_desirable_it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-wel_1275103.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/plutarch-597_desirable_it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-wel_1275103.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.” — 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": "It is indeed a desirable thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-well-descended-but-the-glory/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/it-is-indeed-a-desirable-thing-to-be-well-descended-but-the-glory/#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 } } ] } ```