John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
8765 Plutarh AD 46?-AD 120 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 8765 |
| AUTHOR: | Plutarch (A.D. 46?–A.D. c. 120) |
| QUOTATION: | Themistocles said that a man’s discourse was like to a rich Persian carpet, the beautiful figures and patterns of which can be shown only by spreading and extending it out; when it is contracted and folded up, they are obscured and lost. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Life of Themistocles. |
| Note 1. Themistocles said speech was like to tapestry; and like it, when it was spread it showed its figures, but when it was folded up, hid and spoiled them.—Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. (Themistocles.) [back] |