Jean de La Fontaine
25 quotes
Biography
Jean de La Fontaine was a French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his Fables, which provided a model for subsequent fabulists across Europe and numerous alternative versions in France, as well as in French regional languages.
"Friendship is the shadow of the evening, which increases with the setting sun of life."
"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it."
"Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer."
"Rien ne sert de courir il faut partir à point"
"People must help one another; it is nature's law."
"To live lightheartedly but not recklessly; to be gay without being boisterous; to be courageous without being bold; to show trust and cheerful resignation without fatalism — this is the art of living."
"We then saw what St. Jerome said of those who serve God and those who serve the world: "Each to the other we seem insane": Invicem insanire videmur. There is a never-ending duel between the two."
"La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure."
"A l'oeuvre on connaît l'artisan."
"Je plie, et ne romps pas."
"C'est double plaisir de tromper le trompeur."
"En toute chose il faut considérer la fin."
"Bref, la fortune a toujours tort."
"Il n'est rien d'inutile aux personnes de sens."
"Aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera."
"Sur les ailes du Temps la tristesse s'envole."
"The fly of the coach."
"L’enseigne fait la chalandise."
"Plus fait douceur que violence."
"Rien ne pèse tant qu'un secret."
"Laissez dire les sots: le savoir a son prix."
"Les gens sans bruit sont dangereux."
"Il connaît l’univers, et ne se connaît pas."
"Ventre affamé n'a point d'oreilles."
""They are too green", he said, "and only good for fools"."