Μετάβαση στο κύριο περιεχόμενο

It is better to be adventurous than cautious - Καλύτερα να είσαι ορμητικός παρά πράος

… Io iudico bene questo, che sia meglio essere impetuoso che respettivo; perché la fortuna è donna, et è necessario, volendola tenere sotto, batterla et urtarla. E si vede che la si lascia più vincere da questi, che da quelli che freddamente procedano. E però sempre, come donna, è amica de' giovani, perché sono meno respettivi, più feroci e con più audacia la comandano…

…I conclude therefore that, fortune being changeful and mankind steadfast in their ways, so long as the two are in agreement men are successful, but unsuccessful when they fall out. For my part I consider that it is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman, and if you wish to keep her under it is necessary to beat and ill-use her; and it is seen that she allows herself to be mastered by the adventurous rather than by those who go to work more coldly. She is, therefore, always, woman-like, a lover of young men, because they are less cautious, more violent, and with more audacity command her…

…Νομίζω μάλιστα πως καλύτερα να 'σαι ορμητικός παρά πράος, γιατί η τύχη είναι γυναίκα και πρέπει, αν θες να την υποτάξεις, να τη χτυπάς και να τη σπρώχνεις. Και βλέπουμε πως αφήνεται να νικηθεί από τέτοιους κι όχι απ' όσους της φέρνονται με ψυχρότητα. Και καθώς γυναίκα, αγαπάει πάντα τους νέους, γιατί της φέρνονται με λιγότερη συστολή, είναι πιο άγριοι και την προστάζουν με μεγαλύτερη τόλμη…

  • Source: Il Principe da Niccolò Machiavelli. Chapter XXV (What Fortune Can Effect In Human Affairs, And How To Withstand Her). Translated by W. K. Marriott.
    Η μετάφραση είναι του Νίκου Καζαντζάκη από το βιβλίο «Ο Ηγεμόνας», Εκδόσεις Καζαντζάκη.

Σχόλια

Δημοφιλείς αναρτήσεις από αυτό το ιστολόγιο

There is no such thing as great sex unless you have an apocalyptic moment - Aνακαλύπτω τον Θεό στο πλέον ερωτικό μου σημείο

NORMAN MAILER: Great sex is apocalyptic. There is no such thing as great sex unless you have an apocalyptic moment. William Burroughs once changed the course of American literature with one sentenc e. He said, "I see God in my asshole in the flashbulb of orgasm." Now that was one incredible sentence because it came at the end of the Eisenhower period, printed around 1959 in Big Table in Chicago. I remember reading it and thinking, I can't believe I just read those words. I can't tell you the number of taboos it violated. First of all, you weren't supposed to connect God with sex. Second of all, you never spoke of the asshole, certainly not in relation to sex. If you did, you were the lowest form of pervert. Third of all, there was obvious homosexuality in the remark. In those days nobody was accustomed to seeing that in print. And fourth, there was an ugly technological edge — why'd he have to bring in flashbulbs? Was that the nature of his orgasm? It was the ...

Μια Χριστουγεννιάτικη ιστορία

T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, --not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; "Now, DASHER! now, D...

Γράμματα σε μια Νέα Γυναίκα

Γράμματα σε μια Νέα Γυναίκα Αγαπημένη μου - να που βρήκα την κατάλληλη προσφώνηση σ’ αυτά τα παθητικά κρυφομιλήματα -. Σας έχω συναντήσει σ’ όλες τις προηγούμενες ζωές μου, όλους τους περασμένους αιώνες. Στη Βερόνα, στο κατάστρωμα ενός πλοίου, στις σελίδες του Ethica seu scito te ipsum, στο Ασμα Ασμάτων. Μ’ αυτόν το Αρχαίο Πτερνιστή τον Χρόνο, αναμετρήθηκα σαν ίσος προς ίσο. Έγινα, προς χάρη σας, ποιητής για να διαφιλονικήσω μαζί του. Για μην σας εγκαταλείψω στη σκόνη  του Καιρού. Για να ξορκίσω τον βραχνά της φθοράς με τις στροφές μου. Δεν ήταν ο βάρδος του Avon που τον φοβέριζε. Εγώ ήμουν. Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws, And make the earth devour her own sweet brood; Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws, And burn the long-lived phoenix in her blood; Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleets, And do whate'er thou wilt, swift-footed Time, To the wide world and all her fading sweets; But I forbid thee one most heinous crime: O, car...