“Whosoever, in writing a modern history, shall follow truth too near the heels, it may haply strike out his teeth.”
What this quote means
This striking quote highlights the danger of historical truth. Writing contemporary history risks offending the powerful and revealing uncomfortable truths. Raleigh, himself a historian and courtier, knew these perils well. This reflection speaks to the difficulty of being honest in a world where truth can have consequences. It invites us to consider our own relationship with truth in our daily lives.
How to apply it daily
When tempted to suppress a truth for fear of consequences, ask yourself if silence costs more. Choose integrity.
Continue
Related quotes
Same author or same theme — keep reading.
“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.”Create visual
“The past is never dead. It's not even past.”Create visual
“And the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed.”Create visual
“The past is not dead; it is not even past.”Create visual
“The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.”Create visual
“No great man lives in vain. The history of the world is but the biography of great men.”Create visual