--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Each must in virtue strive for to excel…" description: "\"Each must in virtue strive for to excel; That man lives twice that lives the first life well.\" — Robert Herrick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/robert-herrick-3088_character_each-must-in-virtue-strive-for-to-excel_1476836.png" --- # Each must in virtue strive for to excel; That man lives… ![“Each must in virtue strive for to excel; That man lives twice that lives the first life well.” quote by Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/robert-herrick-3088_character_each-must-in-virtue-strive-for-to-excel_1476836.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/robert-herrick-3088_character_each-must-in-virtue-strive-for-to-excel_1476836.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/robert-herrick-3088_character_each-must-in-virtue-strive-for-to-excel_1476836.png) > “Each must in virtue strive for to excel; That man lives twice that lives the first life well.” [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Striving for virtue leads to a richer, double life—living well once and again through moral excellence. **In simple terms:** Virtue gives life depth and renewal. Key Takeaway Pursue virtue to enrich your existence. Themes virtue excellence renewal Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career - personal relationships - spiritual practice Key Concepts moral philosophy personal growth ethical living Questions to Reflect On - What does “living twice” mean to you? - How can you measure moral excellence? A Different Perspective Virtue alone may not guarantee happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lives Twice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-twice-1724026/) [Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive/) [Twice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twice/) [Twice Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twice-lives-1724027/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-strive-4048674/) ## Related quotes > [The person lives twice who lives the first life well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/the-person-lives-twice-who-lives-the-first-life-well/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [For he lives twice who can at once employ, The present well, and e'en the past enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/for-he-lives-twice-who-can-at-once-employ-the-present-well-and-e-en/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Happiness is a virtue you should always strive for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/happiness-is-a-virtue-you-should-always-strive-for/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [...just as the edifice of all the virtues strives upward toward perfect prayer so will all these virtues be neither sturdy nor enduring unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/just-as-the-edifice-of-all-the-virtues-strives-upward-toward-perfect/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [It is good to preserve the name, wealth, and honors you inherit, but it is better in every way if you yourself create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-baldorioty-de-castro/it-is-good-to-preserve-the-name-wealth-and-honors-you-inherit-but-it/) [Roman Baldorioty de Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-baldorioty-de-castro/) > [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [We all die twice - once when we actually die and once when no one on earth recognizes our photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-boltanski/we-all-die-twice-once-when-we-actually-die-and-once-when-no-one-on/) [Christian Boltanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-boltanski/) > [I got lucky with that first Kid Rock record thing and then just to be able to do the solo thing - and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-kracker/i-got-lucky-with-that-first-kid-rock-record-thing-and-then-just-to-be/) [Uncle Kracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-kracker/) > [“Women have to do twice as well as men in order to be thought half as good. Fortunately, that is not difficult.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-whitten/women-have-to-do-twice-as-well-as-men-in-order-to-be-thought-half-as/) [Charlotte Whitten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-whitten/) > [“When I look into my audience, I had to cry, twice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-hermans/when-i-look-into-my-audience-i-had-to-cry-twice/) [Petra Hermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-hermans/) > [I need six months vacation, twice a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhat/i-need-six-months-vacation-twice-a-year/) [Zhat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhat/) > [Each person carries an entire world within himself, and everything exists twice: once the way it is, the other the way he perceives it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-korczak/each-person-carries-an-entire-world-within-himself-and-everything/) [Janusz Korczak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-korczak/) > [Naturally, the neurotic wants you to love him twice as much, for he's going to cut it in half anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/naturally-the-neurotic-wants-you-to-love-him-twice-as-much-for-he-s/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) ## More by Robert Herrick > [Love is maintain'd by wealth: when all is spent, Adversity then breeds the discontent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/love-is-maintain-d-by-wealth-when-all-is-spent-adversity-then-breeds/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [It takes great wit and interest and energy to be happy. The pursuit of happiness is a great activity. One must be open and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/it-takes-great-wit-and-interest-and-energy-to-be-happy-the-pursuit-of/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Whatever comes, let's be content withal; Among God's blessings there is not one small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/whatever-comes-let-s-be-content-withal-among-god-s-blessings-there-is/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [When a daffadill I see, Hanging down his head towards me, Guess I may, what I must be: First, I shall decline my head;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/when-a-daffadill-i-see-hanging-down-his-head-towards-me-guess-i-may/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [In ways to greatness think on this, That slippery all ambition is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/in-ways-to-greatness-think-on-this-that-slippery-all-ambition-is/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [“Have ye beheld (with much delight) A red rose peeping through a white? Or else a cherry (double graced) Within a lily? Centre placed?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/have-ye-beheld-with-much-delight-a-red-rose-peeping-through-a-white/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Necessity makes dastards valiant men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/necessity-makes-dastards-valiant-men/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Buying, possessing, accumulating--this is not worldliness. But doing this in the love of it, with no love of God paramount--doing it so that thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/buying-possessing-accumulating-this-is-not-worldliness-but-doing-this/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Tears are the noble language of eyes, and when true love of words is destitute. The eye by tears speak, while the tongue is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/tears-are-the-noble-language-of-eyes-and-when-true-love-of-words-is/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Bid me to live, and I will live Thy Protestant to be: Or bid me love, and I will give A loving heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/bid-me-to-live-and-i-will-live-thy-protestant-to-be-or-bid-me-love/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [That age is best which is the first When youth and blood are warmer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/that-age-is-best-which-is-the-first-when-youth-and-blood-are-warmer/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Show me thy feet, show me thy legs, thy thighs Show me those fleshy principalities; Show me that hill where smiling love doth sit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/show-me-thy-feet-show-me-thy-legs-thy-thighs-show-me-those-fleshy/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Hast thou attempted greatnesse? Then go on; Back-turning slackens resolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/hast-thou-attempted-greatnesse-then-go-on-back-turning-slackens/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Attempt the end and never stand to doubt; Nothing's so hard, but search will find it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/attempt-the-end-and-never-stand-to-doubt-nothing-s-so-hard-but-search/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [The readiness of doing doth expresse No other but the doer's willingnesse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/the-readiness-of-doing-doth-expresse-no-other-but-the-doer-s/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) [Explore all 140 Robert Herrick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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