Footnotes to Plato from the foothills of the Superstition Mountains

False Expectation

He who expects all of life to be both wise and philosophical is neither.

……………..

Modeled on Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837):

Nessun maggior segno d'essere poco filosofo e poco savio, che volere savia e filosofica tutta la vita.

There's no greater sign of being a poor philosopher and wise man than wanting all of life to be wise and philosophical.

(Giacomo Leopardi, Pensieri, tr. W. S. Di Piero, Baton Rouge: Lousiana State University Press, 1981, p. 69) Do you see how the translation imports an ambiguity that is not present in the Italian original?


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