While civilization has been improving our houses, it has not equally improved the men who are to inhabit them. It has created palaces, but it was not so easy to create noblemen and kings.

While civilization has been improving our houses, it has not equally improved the men who are to inhabit them. It has created palaces, but it was not so easy to create noblemen and kings.

Mentre la civiltà migliorava le nostre case, non ha migliorato altrettanto gli uomini destinati ad abitarle. Ha creato palazzi, ma non era altrettanto facile creare nobili e re.

Henry David Thoreau · Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience

What should we think of the shepherd’s life if his flocks always wandered to higher pastures than his thoughts?

Che penseremmo della vita di un pastore se il suo gregge raggiungesse sempre pascoli più elevati dei suoi pensieri?

Henry David Thoreau · Walden

He who gives himself entirely to his fellow-men appears to them useless and selfish; but he who gives himself partially to them is pronounced a benefactor and philanthropist.

Colui che si dona interamente ai propri simili appare loro inutile ed egoista; ma colui che si dona loro solo parzialmente viene proclamato benefattore e filantropo.

Henry David Thoreau · Walden

Olympus is but the outside of the earth everywhere.

L'Olimpo non è che la superficie della terra, ovunque.

Henry David Thoreau · Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience

In the long run men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high.

Alla lunga, gli uomini colpiscono solo ciò che si propongono. Pertanto, anche se dovessero fallire immediatamente, sarebbe meglio che puntassero in alto.

Henry David Thoreau · Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience