--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though ambition may be a fault in itself…" description: "\"Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.\" — Quintilian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/quintilian-7306_ambition_though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself_186150.jpg" --- # Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the… ![“Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.” quote by Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/quintilian-7306_ambition_though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself_186150.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/quintilian-7306_ambition_though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself_186150.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/quintilian-7306_ambition_though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself_186150.jpg) > “Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.” [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambition can be a flaw, yet it often drives the development of positive traits. **In simple terms:** Ambition may be flawed but creates virtues. Key Takeaway Channel ambition into constructive goals. Themes virtue ambition personal growth ethics Mood reflective cautionary Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - career planning - self‑improvement Key Concepts moral development motivation Questions to Reflect On - When does ambition become harmful? - How can ambition be balanced with humility? A Different Perspective Excessive ambition may lead to burnout or unethical behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) ## Related quotes > [“If Ambition be a Fault, ’tis only in those who have not a sufficient stock of Merit to support it ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-haywood/if-ambition-be-a-fault-tis-only-in-those-who-have-not-a-sufficient/) [Eliza Haywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-haywood/) > [“If it is your fault that your mother is miserable, it becomes a potentially fixable affront. Taking blame means that at least the hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-secunda/if-it-is-your-fault-that-your-mother-is-miserable-it-becomes-a/) [Victoria Secunda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-secunda/) > [Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/humility-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues-purity-charity-and-obedience-it/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Courage is the mother of all virtues because without it, you cannot consistently perform the others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/courage-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues-because-without-it-you-cannot/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Humility is the mother of all virtues, courage the father, integrity the child and wisdom the grandchild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/humility-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues-courage-the-father-integrity/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Be patient. Patience is the mother of all virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hrithik-roshan/be-patient-patience-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues/) [Hrithik Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hrithik-roshan/) > [Humility is the mother of all virtues: the humble in spirit progress and are blessed because they willingly submit to higher powers and try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/humility-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues-the-humble-in-spirit-progress/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Frugality is the mother of all virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justinian-i/frugality-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues/) [Justinian I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justinian-i/) > [“Patience is the mother of all virtues and the godmother of madness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/patience-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues-and-the-godmother-of-madness/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Humility is the mother of many virtues because from it obedience, fear, reverence, patience, modesty, meekness and peace are born. He who is humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-of-villanova/humility-is-the-mother-of-many-virtues-because-from-it-obedience-fear/) Thomas of Villanova > [ “\[W\]isdom is the child of integrity—being integrated around principles. And integrity is the child of humility and courage. In fact, you could say that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/w-isdom-is-the-child-of-integrity-being-integrated-around-principles/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Wine rejoices the heart of man and joy is the mother of all virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/wine-rejoices-the-heart-of-man-and-joy-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Humility is the mother of all virtues. Humility says we are not in control, principles are in control, therefore we submit ourselves to principles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/humility-is-the-mother-of-all-virtues-humility-says-we-are-not-in/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Though ambition itself be a vice, yet it is often times the cause of virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/though-ambition-itself-be-a-vice-yet-it-is-often-times-the-cause-of/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [Though ambition in itself is a vice, yet it is often the parent of virtues. \[Lat., Licet ipsa vitium sit ambitio, frequenter tamen causa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/though-ambition-in-itself-is-a-vice-yet-it-is-often-the-parent-of-2/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) ## More by Quintilian > [“In writing are the roots, in writing are the foundations of eloquence; by writing resources are stored up, as it were, in a sacred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/in-writing-are-the-roots-in-writing-are-the-foundations-of-eloquence/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [Virtue, though she gets her beginning from nature, yet receives her finishing touches from learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/virtue-though-she-gets-her-beginning-from-nature-yet-receives-her/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [Vain hopes are like certain dreams of those who wake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/vain-hopes-are-like-certain-dreams-of-those-who-wake/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [It is easier to do many things than to do one thing continuously for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/it-is-easier-to-do-many-things-than-to-do-one-thing-continuously-for/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/we-excuse-our-sloth-under-the-pretext-of-difficulty/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/one-thing-however-i-must-premise-that-without-the-assistance-of/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [Medicine for the dead is too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/medicine-for-the-dead-is-too-late/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [Our minds are like our stomaches; they are whetted by the change of their food, and variety supplies both with fresh appetite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/our-minds-are-like-our-stomaches-they-are-whetted-by-the-change-of/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/a-laugh-costs-too-much-when-bought-at-the-expense-of-virtue/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [The soul languishing in obscurity contracts a kind of rust, or abandons itself to the chimera of presumption; for it is natural for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/the-soul-languishing-in-obscurity-contracts-a-kind-of-rust-or/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [He who speaks evil only differs from his who does evil in that he lacks opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/he-who-speaks-evil-only-differs-from-his-who-does-evil-in-that-he/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/that-which-offends-the-ear-will-not-easily-gain-admission-to-the-mind/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/in-almost-everything-experience-is-more-valuable-than-precept/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [Though ambition itself be a vice, yet it is often times the cause of virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/though-ambition-itself-be-a-vice-yet-it-is-often-times-the-cause-of/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [ Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty. \[Lat., Nimis in veritate, et similitudinis quam pulchritudinis amantior.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/too-exact-and-studious-of-similitude-rather-than-of-beauty-lat-nimis/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) [Explore all 92 Quintilian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) ## More Ambition quotes > [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/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Quintilian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself-it-is-often-the-mother-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself-it-is-often-the-mother-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/quintilian-7306_ambition_though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself_186150.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/quintilian-7306_ambition_though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself_186150.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ab/quintilian-7306_ambition_though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself_186150.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.” — Quintilian", "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": "Quintilian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Though ambition may be a fault...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself-it-is-often-the-mother-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/though-ambition-may-be-a-fault-in-itself-it-is-often-the-mother-of/#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 } } ] } ```