---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as…"
description: "\"Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as if it were plate, and not less great is the man to whom all his plate is no more that earthenware.\" — Seneca ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/seneca-the-younger-219_enjoy_great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-a_1031397.jpg"
---

#  Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as if it were…

![“Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as if it were plate, and not less great is the man to whom all his plate is no more that earthenware.” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/seneca-the-younger-219_enjoy_great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-a_1031397.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/seneca-the-younger-219_enjoy_great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-a_1031397.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/seneca-the-younger-219_enjoy_great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-a_1031397.jpg)

> “Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as if it were plate, and not less great is the man to whom all his plate is no more that earthenware.”

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

True greatness lies in appreciating simple, everyday things, not in accumulating material wealth.

**In simple terms:** Value simplicity over excess.

Key Takeaway

Find fulfillment in modest, everyday experiences.

Themes

philosophy humility wealth

Mood

reflective calm

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- daily routines
- minimalist living
- teaching philosophy
- personal budgeting

Key Concepts

stoicism ethics materialism

Questions to Reflect On

- How does simplicity contribute to lasting happiness?
- Can modesty coexist with success?

A Different Perspective

Some may view simplicity as lack of ambition.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/)

## Related quotes

> [ To eat off another man's plate. \[To live an another's expense.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/to-eat-off-another-man-s-plate-to-live-an-another-s-expense/)

[Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/)

> [There is too much sour grapes for my taste in the present American attitude. The time to denounce the bankers was when we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/there-is-too-much-sour-grapes-for-my-taste-in-the-present-american/)

[Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/)

> [I don't just want the belt, I want every one of their heads on a plate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/i-don-t-just-want-the-belt-i-want-every-one-of-their-heads-on-a-plate/)

[Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/)

> [Kids in Alaska don't know they're growing up on the Last Frontier. It's just what they see on the license plates, and it's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bodett/kids-in-alaska-don-t-know-they-re-growing-up-on-the-last-frontier-it/)

[Tom Bodett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bodett/)

> [People give me money and I don't know why, my real collection plate is an empty cup held by a homeless guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/people-give-me-money-and-i-don-t-know-why-my-real-collection-plate-is/)

[Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/)

> [It seemed like the right time. You reach a point when you say to yourself, ‘Do I want to keep doing this?’ There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-behar/it-seemed-like-the-right-time-you-reach-a-point-when-you-say-to/)

[Joy Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-behar/)

> [His smile is like the silver plate on a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-philpot-curran/his-smile-is-like-the-silver-plate-on-a-coffin/)

[John Philpot Curran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-philpot-curran/)

> [In issues of recent ethnic wars and genocides - particularly if you look at Darfur - one of the most remarkable things is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/in-issues-of-recent-ethnic-wars-and-genocides-particularly-if-you/)

[Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/)

> [I saw the young man over there with eggs Benedict, with hollandaise sauce. And I was going to suggest to you that you serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-saw-the-young-man-over-there-with-eggs-benedict-with-hollandaise/)

[Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/)

> [If we studied human beings which can include human genes, human blood samples, and human behavior, then you can leave the animals out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-barnard/if-we-studied-human-beings-which-can-include-human-genes-human-blood/)

[Neal Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-barnard/)

> [A lot of hitters stay away from the plate, some are close up, some are forward, some are back. The thing about hitting is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-musial/a-lot-of-hitters-stay-away-from-the-plate-some-are-close-up-some-are/)

[Stan Musial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-musial/)

> [It is not necessary to have an extravagant food budget in order to serve things with variety and tastefully cooked. It is not necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/it-is-not-necessary-to-have-an-extravagant-food-budget-in-order-to/)

[Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/)

> [Whenever anything happens in America, they have to gold-plate it, like baby shoes. That way you can forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/whenever-anything-happens-in-america-they-have-to-gold-plate-it-like/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [What's that plate that's above a saucer but below a plate?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/what-s-that-plate-that-s-above-a-saucer-but-below-a-plate/)

[Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/)

> [Cooking brings me so much joy. I love everything, down to the execution of the plate to picking out fresh ingredients at the market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-budig/cooking-brings-me-so-much-joy-i-love-everything-down-to-the-execution/)

[Kathryn Budig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-budig/)

## More by Seneca the Younger

> [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [A great step towards independence is a good-humored stomach, one that is willing to endure rough treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-great-step-towards-independence-is-a-good-humored-stomach-one-that/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Leisure without study is death, and the grave of a living man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/leisure-without-study-is-death-and-the-grave-of-a-living-man/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [To rule yourself is the ultimate power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-rule-yourself-is-the-ultimate-power/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [The road by precepts is tedious, by example, short and efficacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-road-by-precepts-is-tedious-by-example-short-and-efficacious/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Let us not seek our disease out of ourselves; 'tis in us, and planted in our bowels; and the mere fact that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-us-not-seek-our-disease-out-of-ourselves-tis-in-us-and-planted-in/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [After death there is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/after-death-there-is-nothing/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Adversity finds at last the man whom she has often passed by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/adversity-finds-at-last-the-man-whom-she-has-often-passed-by/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Hesitation is the best cure for anger. The first blows of anger are heavy, but if it waits, it will think again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/hesitation-is-the-best-cure-for-anger-the-first-blows-of-anger-are/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

[Explore all 872 Seneca the Younger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

## More Enjoy quotes

> [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/)

[Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/)

> [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/)

[Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/)

> [The Fringe is by far my favorite time of year; I like everything about it. But there are people I know who are much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/the-fringe-is-by-far-my-favorite-time-of-year-i-like-everything-about/)

[Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/)

> [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/)

[Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/)

> [The Germans will make a few scattered attacks, then go away. The Romans will enjoy a fine September.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-badoglio/the-germans-will-make-a-few-scattered-attacks-then-go-away-the-romans/)

Pietro Badoglio

> [I don't enjoy killing, but when done righteously, it's just a chore, like any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua/i-don-t-enjoy-killing-but-when-done-righteously-it-s-just-a-chore/)

[Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua/)

> [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/)

[Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/)

> [I don't own a yacht or a flashy car. I've always had safe cars because I do so much driving. I don't think I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-don-t-own-a-yacht-or-a-flashy-car-i-ve-always-had-safe-cars-because/)

[Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/)

> [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/)

[Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/)

> [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/)

[Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/)

> [I really enjoy hosting, not necessarily because it provides more airtime, but because it allows me to be a part of more substantive discussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-ponder/i-really-enjoy-hosting-not-necessarily-because-it-provides-more/)

[Samantha Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-ponder/)

> [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

> [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/)

[Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/)

> [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/)

[Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/)

Browse all 13,068 Enjoy quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as if it were plate, and not less great is the man to whom all his plate is no more that earthenware.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Seneca the Younger"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-as-if-it-were-plate-and-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Enjoy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-as-if-it-were-plate-and-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/seneca-the-younger-219_enjoy_great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-a_1031397.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/seneca-the-younger-219_enjoy_great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-a_1031397.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1f/seneca-the-younger-219_enjoy_great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-a_1031397.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as if it were plate, and not less great is the man to whom all his…” — Seneca the Younger",
                "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": "Seneca the Younger",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Great is he who enjoys his...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-as-if-it-were-plate-and-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/great-is-he-who-enjoys-his-earthenware-as-if-it-were-plate-and-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
