Work · Renaissance & Humanism
The Pocket Oracle and Art of Prudence
Three hundred aphorisms with commentary on how to act wisely in a world of appearances: know oneself and others, keep reserve, choose the right moment.
Introduction
The “Oráculo manual y arte de prudencia” appeared in Huesca in 1647 under the name of Lorenzo Gracián, published by Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa. It gathers three hundred aphorisms, many drawn from Gracián’s earlier books, each a short heading followed by a commentary. They teach how to live among people at court and in the world, where things pass for what they seem: know yourself and your chief strength, never reveal everything, choose friends and the right moment, avoid affectation, know when to withdraw. The last aphorism concludes that one should be a saint, which says everything at once. The book was read across Europe in Amelot de la Houssaie’s French version, “L’Homme de cour” (1684); Schopenhauer’s German translation, finished in 1832 and printed in 1862, made it widely known in Germany. It is still read as a book of practical wisdom, and also as a guide to strategic self-presentation.
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