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15 Quotes by Great Renaissance Figures That Apply Today

The literal meaning of the French word ‘renaissance’ is rebirth. This is the essence of the Renaissance period, which is generally considered to have taken place from the 14th to the 17th century. During that period, an interest in antiquity was ‘reborn’ after the Dark Ages. Renaissance thinkers expanded on classical texts and created their own style of philosophy, literature, and art.

Some of the major developments of the Renaissance include astronomy, humanist philosophy, the printing press, vernacular language in writing, novel painting and sculpture techniques, world exploration, and, in the late Renaissance, Shakespeare's works. And Shakespeare is not the only Renaissance figure whose greatness is still celebrated today. The words of thinkers and artists of this era still echo today, and their universal lessons still apply to our lives. Take a look at these timeless quotes by famous Renaissance figures.

1. "You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him to find it for himself.” - Galileo Galilei15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers  "You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him to find it for himself.”

Related: The 10 Most Famous Figures of the Renaissance
 

2. "Genius is eternal patience." - Michelangelo15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers "Genius is eternal patience."

Image Source: Jörg Bittner Unna / Wikimediea Commons

Related: Artworks by Michelangelo That Everyone Should Know!

3. “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.” - Martin Luther15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers "Genius is eternal patience."

4. "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - Leonardo da Vinci15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

Related: Da Vinci Weaved Magic with Words Too – 15 Wonderful Quotes

5. "Never was anything great achieved without danger." - Niccolo Machiavelli 15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers "Never was anything great achieved without danger."

6. “Faith in oneself is the best and safest course.” - Michelangelo15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers “Faith in oneself is the best and safest course.”

Image Source: Jörg Bittner Unna / Wikimediea Commons

7. “A speech comes alive only if it rises from the heart, not if it floats on the lips.”  - Desiderius Erasmus15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers “A speech comes alive only if it rises from the heart, not if it floats on the lips.”

8. "Time is a vindictive bandit to steal the beauty of our former selves." - Raphael15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers "Time is a vindictive bandit to steal the beauty of our former selves."

Related: 24 Paintings from Renaissance Grand-master, Raphael

9. "I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses." - Johannes Kepler"I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses."

10. "Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself." - Michel de Montaigne"I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses."

11. "Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man." - Francis Bacon15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers  "Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man." - Francis Bacon

Image Source: Wellcome Collection / Francis Bacon

12.  "Everything that is done in the world is done by hope." - Martin Luther

15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers "Everything that is done in the world is done by hope."

13. "I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." - Galileo Galilei 15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers "I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." - Galileo Galilei

14. "Nature uses as little as possible of anything." - Johannes Kepler15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers "Nature uses as little as possible of anything." - Johannes Kepler

15. "Knowledge is power." - Francis Bacon15 Timeless Quotes by Great Renaissance Thinkers  "Knowledge is power." - Francis Bacon

Image Source: Wellcome Collection / Francis Bacon

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