Baltazar Gracián
Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601. 1. 8. – 1658.12. 6.)
A 17th-century Spanish philosopher. He was highly regarded by the public and spoke in realistic, straightforward, and sharp words about the wisdom to preserve happiness. Even after more than 400 years, his maxims are recognized worldwide.
He was born in Belmonte, Calatayud, in the Zaragoza region of Spain, in 1601. His father, Francisco Gracián Garcés, was a physician, and he became the eldest son when his older siblings died early. At the age of 18, he joined the Society of Jesus and studied two philosophy courses until the age of 21. He then continued with four theology courses at the University of Zaragoza and received his priestly ordination at the age of 25 (1627). Until the age of 28 (1630), he taught students as a humanities professor and completed a three-year spiritual retreat at the monastery in Valencia.
After achieving great success as a preacher at the age of 40, he published *The Art of Ingenio* (Arte de ingenio, 1642), which he further expanded and deepened into the book *The Art of Worldly Wisdom* (Oraculo manual y arte de prudencia, literally “Manual Oracle and Art of Prudence”). Although he was a Jesuit priest, his writings contain few religious references and do not aim for Christian moral concepts. The fundamental life goal the author envisioned was not success and fame but individual maturity. He did not overlook practical success strategies while maintaining the fundamentals of humanity. The author warned that many pitfalls and evil acts must be anticipated to be avoided, and he aimed to teach foolish individuals how to protect themselves from such situations and escape them.
Around the 17th century, when the author lived, Spain was gradually declining after reigning as the ruler of Europe for the previous 150 years. The involvement in the Thirty Years' War brought about an economic crisis, and Spain gradually lost its power due to rebellions in Portugal and Catalonia and defeats in wars. Ironically, it was a golden age culturally. The characteristics of disillusionment and ephemerality with regard to material and worldly things, religious hope, and the omnipresence of death were prevalent in the era, reflected in the Baroque culture.
In his later years, Baltasar Gracián was disciplined and dismissed from his professorship for publishing books without the Church's permission. He suffered from confinement and surveillance. He endured pain from continuous punishments and disadvantages and died at the age of 57 in 1658.
Do not reveal your sore finger.
<br data-cke-filler="true">
The moment you volunteer to expose your sore finger, everyone will poke it.
Get rid of the habit of complaining about your pain.
Malice always targets weaknesses and seeks out only pain.
And it repeats the attempt to poke that sore spot thousands and tens of thousands of times.
Therefore, prudent individuals never readily reveal their wounds, nor do they divulge their personal misfortunes everywhere.
Sometimes, even fate takes pleasure in poking at your most painful wounds.
So, do not easily reveal your pain or your joy.
Comments0