Miguel De Cervantes Quotes

Powerful Miguel De Cervantes for Daily Growth

About Miguel De Cervantes

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), widely regarded as the greatest Spanish novelist of all time, was born in Alcalá de Henares on September 29, 1547. His literary masterpiece, "Don Quixote," transformed Western literature and continues to captivate readers more than four centuries after its publication. Cervantes lived a life full of hardships and adventures that significantly influenced his writing. He joined the Spanish Navy at age sixteen but was captured by Barbary pirates during the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, spending five years as a slave before eventually ransoming himself back to Spain. His experiences served as inspiration for the travels and tribulations of his iconic character, Don Quixote. Cervantes married Catalina de Salazar y Cortés in 1569, but they had no children together. Financially strained throughout much of his life, Cervantes wrote various plays, poems, and novellas to support himself. However, it was not until the publication of "Don Quixote" that he achieved widespread recognition and success. First published in two parts (1605 and 1615), "Don Quixote" follows the exploits of a nobleman who loses his sanity and becomes fixated on chivalry, adopting the name 'Don Quixote de la Mancha.' This satirical novel explores themes such as illusion versus reality, love, friendship, and the human condition. In addition to "Don Quixote," Cervantes wrote several other works, including the novellas "Rinconete y Cortadillo" and "La Gitanilla." Despite his many tribulations, Cervantes left an indelible mark on world literature with his extraordinary storytelling ability and complex characters. He died in Madrid on April 22, 1616.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"To be desired and not to obtain; to strive and not to arrive: this is the destiny of man."

This quote by Miguel de Cervantes illustrates the universal human condition of desire and frustration. It suggests that as humans, we have a tendency to yearn for things, experiences, or goals, yet often fall short in achieving them. The "destiny" he refers to is the recurring theme of striving towards something unattainable, experiencing the pain of wanting, and ultimately accepting the limitations that life imposes on us. This quote encapsulates a profound truth about the human experience: our lives are filled with desires, but not all can be fulfilled.

"The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel."

This quote by Miguel de Cervantes suggests that the way individuals perceive the world around them depends on their perspective - thought or emotion. To those who contemplate life's events objectively, viewing its ironies, inconsistencies, and absurdities, it appears comical. However, to those who are sensitive and emotional, experiencing the hardships and sorrows of life directly, it can seem tragic. In essence, Cervantes is highlighting the subjective nature of our experiences and how they shape our viewpoints about reality.

"The truth is more valuable than opulent deceit."

This quote emphasizes the inherent value of truth over deception ornamented with wealth or opulence. It suggests that authenticity, honesty, and speaking the truth are more significant and worthy than any material riches derived from falsehoods. The idea is to prioritize moral integrity and transparency above temporary and superficial appearances of prosperity.

"It is not reasonable that one individual should possess two souls, unless God has made some great mistake in the distribution of Providence."

This quote suggests that a single person should not have more than one soul, emphasizing unity and wholeness within an individual. It implies that each person is unique and complete with their own thoughts, emotions, and experiences; there's no need or room for duplicity in the human spirit. The "great mistake in the distribution of Providence" could be seen as any instance where a person acts out of character or exhibits inconsistency, as if they had multiple souls.

"He who loves much, is used to be moved; and he who is often moved, is seldom calm; but he is the most fortunate, who can command himself in all events, and who can quietly pass the barque of his life over the stormy ocean of the world."

This quote by Miguel de Cervantes highlights the relationship between emotion, self-control, and personal fortune. The person who loves deeply experiences a range of emotions, leading to frequent changes in their emotional state (not being calm). However, those who can control their reactions and maintain composure during life's turbulent events are considered fortunate because they have mastered themselves amid chaos, navigating the world like a steadfast captain steering their ship through stormy seas. Essentially, Cervantes suggests that self-discipline in the face of strong emotions and external challenges is a mark of true success and happiness.

Those who'll play with cats must expect to be scratched.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Play, Expect, Scratched, Cats

Valor lies just halfway between rashness and cowardice.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Courage, Valor, Lies, Halfway

Our greatest foes, and whom we must chiefly combat, are within.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Within, Foes, Whom, Chiefly

Truth will rise above falsehood as oil above water.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Truth, Rise Above, Oil, Falsehood

Well, there's a remedy for all things but death, which will be sure to lay us flat one time or other.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Other, Sure, Which, Remedy

God bears with the wicked, but not forever.

- Miguel de Cervantes

God, Forever, Bears, Wicked

There is also this benefit in brag, that the speaker is unconsciously expressing his own ideal. Humor him by all means, draw it all out, and hold him to it.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Own, Ideal, Means, Brag

I believe there's no proverb but what is true; they are all so many sentences and maxims drawn from experience, the universal mother of sciences.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Believe, Sentences, Many, Maxims

No padlocks, bolts, or bars can secure a maiden better than her own reserve.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Better, Her, Maiden, Reserve

Be a terror to the butchers, that they may be fair in their weight; and keep hucksters and fraudulent dealers in awe, for the same reason.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Reason, May, Terror, Butcher

Diligence is the mother of good fortune, and idleness, its opposite, never brought a man to the goal of any of his best wishes.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Goal, Fortune, Brought, Diligence

Every man is as heaven made him, and sometimes a great deal worse.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Sometimes, Deal, Made, Great Deal

The bow cannot always stand bent, nor can human frailty subsist without some lawful recreation.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Some, Always, Lawful, Frailty

When thou art at Rome, do as they do at Rome.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Art, Rome, Thou Art, Thou

Tell me thy company, and I'll tell thee what thou art.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Art, Thy, Thee, Thou

Thou hast seen nothing yet.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Nothing, Seen, Thou

It seldom happens that any felicity comes so pure as not to be tempered and allayed by some mixture of sorrow.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Some, Seldom, Mixture, Tempered

From reading too much, and sleeping too little, his brain dried up on him and he lost his judgment.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Reading, Brain, Too Much, Dried

I do not say a proverb is amiss when aptly and reasonably applied, but to be forever discharging them, right or wrong, hit or miss, renders conversation insipid and vulgar.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Say, Them, Applied, Reasonably

The eyes those silent tongues of love.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Love, Eyes, Silent, Tongues

Fair and softly goes far.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Fair, Goes, Far, Softly

'Tis ill talking of halters in the house of a man that was hanged.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Talking, Hanged, Ill, Tis

Tis the only comfort of the miserable to have partners in their woes.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Miserable, Partners, Woes, Tis

Tis a dainty thing to command, though twere but a flock of sheep.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Flock, Though, Dainty, Tis

Modesty, tis a virtue not often found among poets, for almost every one of them thinks himself the greatest in the world.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Often, Them, Almost, Tis

Pray look better, Sir... those things yonder are no giants, but windmills.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Look, Better, Things, Giants

One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars; and the world will be better for this.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Last, Still, Unreachable, Ounce

A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Short, Sentence, Based, Proverb

I have always heard, Sancho, that doing good to base fellows is like throwing water into the sea.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Doing, Always, Like, Base

Delay always breeds danger; and to protract a great design is often to ruin it.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Design, Delay, Always, Ruin

He had a face like a blessing.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Face, Like, Had, Blessing

The gratification of wealth is not found in mere possession or in lavish expenditure, but in its wise application.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Wealth, Found, Expenditure, Gratification

Laziness never arrived at the attainment of a good wish.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Wish, Never, Arrived, Attainment

There is no greater folly in the world than for a man to despair.

- Miguel de Cervantes

World, Folly, Than, Despair

Our hours in love have wings; in absence, crutches.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Love, Wings, Hours, Crutches

Liberty, as well as honor, man ought to preserve at the hazard of his life, for without it life is insupportable.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Liberty, Hazard, His, Ought

Time ripens all things; no man is born wise.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Wise, Born, Things, All Things

In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Success, Impossible, Absurd, Order

When the severity of the law is to be softened, let pity, not bribes, be the motive.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Law, Pity, Severity, Motive

He preaches well that lives well.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Well, He, Lives, Preaches

One of the most considerable advantages the great have over their inferiors is to have servants as good as themselves.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Over, Most, Considerable, Servants

Good actions ennoble us, and we are the sons of our deeds.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Good, Deeds, Sons, Ennoble

Drink moderately, for drunkeness neither keeps a secret, nor observes a promise.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Nor, Moderately, Neither, Keeps

Fear has many eyes and can see things underground.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Fear, See, Things, Underground

Alas! all music jars when the soul's out of tune.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Music, Soul, Tune, Alas

He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he that loses his courage loses all.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Wealth, More, His, Loses

That's the nature of women, not to love when we love them, and to love when we love them not.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Love, Nature, Them, To Love

Truth indeed rather alleviates than hurts, and will always bear up against falsehood, as oil does above water.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Will, Always, Rather, Falsehood

Truth may be stretched, but cannot be broken, and always gets above falsehood, as does oil above water.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Truth, Broken, Always, Falsehood

A closed mouth catches no flies.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Wisdom, Mouth, Flies, Closed

For a man to attain to an eminent degree in learning costs him time, watching, hunger, nakedness, dizziness in the head, weakness in the stomach, and other inconveniences.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Graduation, Other, Costs, Hunger

There are only two families in the world, my old grandmother used to say, the Haves and the Have-nots.

- Miguel de Cervantes

World, Grandmother, Old, Families

Love and war are the same thing, and stratagems and policy are as allowable in the one as in the other.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Love, Other, Same, Policy

There's no taking trout with dry breeches.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Dry, Taking, Trout

A private sin is not so prejudicial in this world, as a public indecency.

- Miguel de Cervantes

World, Private, Public, Sin

Too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be.

- Miguel de Cervantes

See, May, Too, Sanity

Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Never, Begging, Which, Earn

To withdraw is not to run away, and to stay is no wise action, when there's more reason to fear than to hope.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Reason, More, Away, Action

The most difficult character in comedy is that of the fool, and he must be no simpleton that plays that part.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Character, Most, Plays, Fool

True valor lies between cowardice and rashness.

- Miguel de Cervantes

True, Valor, Lies, Cowardice

Proverbs are short sentences drawn from long experience.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Short, Proverbs, Sentences

The knowledge of yourself will preserve you from vanity.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Knowledge, Yourself, Will, Vanity

Virtue is the truest nobility.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Nobility, Truest, Virtue

It is one thing to praise discipline, and another to submit to it.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Brainy, Submit, Another, Praise

A person dishonored is worst than dead.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Dead, Person, Than, Worst

No fathers or mothers think their own children ugly.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Parenting, Think, Fathers, Mothers

Every man is the son of his own works.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Son, His, Works, Every Man

That which costs little is less valued.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Less, Costs, Which, Valued

To be prepared is half the victory.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Success, Prepared, Half, Be Prepared

Forewarned, forearmed; to be prepared is half the victory.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Victory, Prepared, Half, Be Prepared

There is nothing so subject to the inconstancy of fortune as war.

- Miguel de Cervantes

War, Nothing, Fortune, Subject

Jests that give pains are no jests.

- Miguel de Cervantes

Give, Pains

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