Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is

Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is

In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls.

In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls.

Follow pleasure, and then will pleasure flee,
Flee pleasure, and pleasure will follow thee.

Follow pleasure, and then will pleasure flee,
Flee pleasure, and pleasure will follow thee.

Let the fictitious sources of pleasure be as near as possible to
the true.
[Lat., Ficta voluptatis causa read more

Let the fictitious sources of pleasure be as near as possible to
the true.
[Lat., Ficta voluptatis causa sint proxima veris.]

Look upon the world as your enemy because only then the gifts it gives will give you immense pleasure.

Look upon the world as your enemy because only then the gifts it gives will give you immense pleasure.

I live and reign since I have abandoned those pleasures which you
by your praises extol to the skies.
read more

I live and reign since I have abandoned those pleasures which you
by your praises extol to the skies.
[Lat., Vivo et regno, simul ista reliqui
Quae vos ad coelum effertis rumore secundo.]

Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil.

Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil.

Pleasure to me is wonder—the unexplored, the unexpected, the thing that is hidden and the changeless thing that lurks behind read more

Pleasure to me is wonder—the unexplored, the unexpected, the thing that is hidden and the changeless thing that lurks behind superficial mutability.

Plato divinely calls pleasure the bait of evil, inasmuch as men
are caught by it as fish by a read more

Plato divinely calls pleasure the bait of evil, inasmuch as men
are caught by it as fish by a hook.
[Lat., Divine Plato escam malorum appeliat voluptatem, quod ea
videlicet homines capiantur, ut pisces hamo.]