“If Plato’s prose was silver, Aristotle’s was a flowing river of gold.” Cicero (106-43 B.C.E.)
This quote by Roman philosopher and historian Cicero (106-43 BC) is a tribute to Aristotle’s writing style, which was highly regarded in ancient Greece and continues to be admired today. Cicero, a Roman philosopher and statesman, was an admirer of Greek philosophy and literature, and he saw Aristotle as one of the great writers of the ancient world.
The quote suggests that while Plato‘s prose was elegant and refined, Aristotle’s was even more so, with a flowing quality that made it particularly beautiful and valuable. The comparison to gold suggests that Aristotle’s writing was not only aesthetically pleasing but also valuable and rich in substance.
The Greek polymath Aristotle was known for his clear and precise writing style, which was intended to convey complex ideas in a way that was easy to understand. His works covered a wide range of subjects, including metaphysics, ethics, politics, biology, and physics, and his writing was influential in shaping Western philosophy and science.
In the nutshell, Cicero’s praise for Aristotle’s writing style highlights the importance of clear and elegant prose in communicating complex ideas and the lasting impact that Aristotle’s writing and beliefs has had on Western intellectual thought.
