--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Difficult, say you? Difficult to be a man…" description: "\"Difficult, say you? Difficult to be a man of virtue, truly good, shaped and fashioned without flaw in the perfect figure of four-squared excellence, in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/simonides-of-ceos-37482_be-a-man_difficult-say-you-difficult-to-be-a-man_2519601.jpg" --- # Difficult, say you? Difficult to be a man of virtue, truly… ![“Difficult, say you? Difficult to be a man of virtue, truly good, shaped and fashioned without flaw in the perfect figure of four-squared excellence, in body and mind, in act and thought?” quote by Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/simonides-of-ceos-37482_be-a-man_difficult-say-you-difficult-to-be-a-man_2519601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/simonides-of-ceos-37482_be-a-man_difficult-say-you-difficult-to-be-a-man_2519601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/simonides-of-ceos-37482_be-a-man_difficult-say-you-difficult-to-be-a-man_2519601.jpg) > “Difficult, say you? Difficult to be a man of virtue, truly good, shaped and fashioned without flaw in the perfect figure of four-squared excellence, in body and mind, in act and thought?” [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attaining perfect virtue is an impossible ideal, highlighting human imperfection. **In simple terms:** Perfection is unattainable. Key Takeaway Strive for improvement, not flawless perfection. Themes virtue humanity imperfection Mood thoughtful philosophical Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - moral decision‑making Key Concepts philosophy ethics idealism Questions to Reflect On - Can you accept your imperfections while pursuing virtue? - What realistic standards guide your growth? A Different Perspective Expecting flawlessness can cause despair and stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be a man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-a-man/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Body And Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-and-mind/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-man-856454/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Flaws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flaws/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Man Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-virtue-713090/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind and body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-and-body/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-truly-1237437/) ## Related quotes > [There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-virtue-so-truly-great-and-godlike-as-justice/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Virtue is the highest reward. Virtue truly goes before all things. Liberty, safety, life, property, parents, country, and children are protected and preserved. Virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/virtue-is-the-highest-reward-virtue-truly-goes-before-all-things/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [One's virtue is all that one truly has, because it is not imperiled by the vicissitudes of fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boethius/one-s-virtue-is-all-that-one-truly-has-because-it-is-not-imperiled-by/) [Boethius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boethius/) > [Knowledge is that which, next to virtue, truly raises one person above another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/knowledge-is-that-which-next-to-virtue-truly-raises-one-person-above/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Knowledge is, indeed, that which, next to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man above another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/knowledge-is-indeed-that-which-next-to-virtue-truly-and-essentially/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Only wisdom and virtue can truly win men's devotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-bei/only-wisdom-and-virtue-can-truly-win-men-s-devotion/) [Liu Bei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-bei/) > [Nothing I have accomplished has given me more confidence than birthing my children at home naturally. 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If you mean the heart, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/if-it-be-said-that-it-is-the-mind-that-produces-karma-i-ask-what-is/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [When I write what publishers call 'fantasy' I am writing in what I think is the most important tradition of fiction: starting with Homer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-morris/when-i-write-what-publishers-call-fantasy-i-am-writing-in-what-i/) [Janet Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-morris/) > [The body and mind are dependent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-body-and-mind-are-dependent/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Watch your own body and mind, and the people and things surrounding you, from the deep, calm place inside of you. When you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-keyes-jr/watch-your-own-body-and-mind-and-the-people-and-things-surrounding/) [Ken Keyes Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-keyes-jr/) > [Loneliness is a drug, a narcotic; it grows through veins, through nerves and muscles; it assumes some right of possession over your body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-ellory/loneliness-is-a-drug-a-narcotic-it-grows-through-veins-through-nerves/) [R.J. Ellory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-ellory/) > [If only there is a sufficient number of people whose experience of life goes beyond body and mind, this world will be a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/if-only-there-is-a-sufficient-number-of-people-whose-experience-of/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [Each full, deep inhale creates more space in your body and mind. Each long, exhale moves you directly into that space. The deeper you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-stiles/each-full-deep-inhale-creates-more-space-in-your-body-and-mind-each/) [Tara Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-stiles/) > [The body and mind are continually changing, and are, in fact, only names of series of changeful phenomena, like rivers whose waters are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-body-and-mind-are-continually-changing-and-are-in-fact-only-names/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More by Simonides of Ceos > [There's no joy even in beautiful Wisdom, unless one have holy Health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/there-s-no-joy-even-in-beautiful-wisdom-unless-one-have-holy-health/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [There is no better test of a man's work than time, which also reveals the thoughts which lay hidden in his breast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/there-is-no-better-test-of-a-man-s-work-than-time-which-also-reveals/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [A man gains no possession better than a good woman, nothing more horrible than a bad one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/a-man-gains-no-possession-better-than-a-good-woman-nothing-more/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [A man cannot possess anything that is better than a good wife, or anything that is worse than a bad one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/a-man-cannot-possess-anything-that-is-better-than-a-good-wife-or/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [Man's strength is but little, and futile his concerns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/man-s-strength-is-but-little-and-futile-his-concerns/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [The gods do not fight against necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/the-gods-do-not-fight-against-necessity/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [We did not flinch but gave our lives to save Greece when her fate hung on a razor's edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/we-did-not-flinch-but-gave-our-lives-to-save-greece-when-her-fate/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [It is hard to be truly excellent, four-square in hand and foot and mind, formed without blemish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/it-is-hard-to-be-truly-excellent-four-square-in-hand-and-foot-and/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [Of earth's goods, the best is a good wife; a bad, the bitterest curse of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/of-earth-s-goods-the-best-is-a-good-wife-a-bad-the-bitterest-curse-of/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [What is life without the joy of Love?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/what-is-life-without-the-joy-of-love/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) > [If to die honorably is the greatest Part of virtue, for us fate's done her best. Because we fought to crown Greece with freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simonides-of-ceos/if-to-die-honorably-is-the-greatest-part-of-virtue-for-us-fate-s-done/) [Simonides of Ceos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) [Explore all 12 Simonides of Ceos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simonides-of-ceos/) ## More Be a man quotes > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [I closed my own jazz bar so I could be a man who can write novels as I like. 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You only learn by learning what they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/i-don-t-think-anyone-can-teach-you-how-to-be-a-man-but-a-woman-you/) [Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/) [Browse all 402 Be a man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-a-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Difficult, say you? 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