Five Quotes By Don Juan Manuel

Don Juan Manuel was a writer who lived in the Middle Ages. Many consider him the first representative of medieval prose fiction. In this article we will collect some of his most important quotes. Those who most reveal his way of thinking.

Before we take a closer look at this, it is important to note that Don Juan Manuel was the teacher of King Alfonso XI. He is also the author of several works, and yet there is one that stands out from all others: Tales of Count Lucanor.

The quotes we are going to show you were written in Old Spanish and are adapted to today’s English. However, they may still sound old.

Don Juan Manuel on the benefits of certain friendships

This first quote by Don Juan Manuel is a clear and direct critique of people who lie. Those who lie systematically because will hurt someone. Or because they feel jealous of others, such as good people.

The consequence of this is that half-truths often fly around. Also, they can damage the reputation or perspective we may have of some people we see as friends. For that reason, Don Juan Manuel warns us to be on guard against gossip and lies.

2. Stay away from fantasies

Something we often resort to is the fantasies Don Juan Manuel refers to. You can also define it as daydreaming or being carried away by romantic performances. The result of this is usually a complete disconnection from reality.

However, you may be wondering how to recognize true realities from fantasies. This was not explained by Don Juan Manuel. It would be impossible given that each of us has a completely different perception of reality. Mainly because this is based on our experiences and that all of them are valid.

3. Do what you want without fear

We can say that fear is one of the greatest evils of our time. Of course, this crippling feeling was already present in the 13th and 14th centuries. Fear of what others will say and the criticism that prevents us from doing what we want. This fear is not beneficial.

This third quote by Don Juan Manuel is a reminder that we do not have to think so much about what others say or think about us or our actions. If we are convinced that we are not doing anything wrong, keep going. Otherwise, sometime in the future, we will end up regretting that we were not more confident.

4. Don Juan Manuel on alcohol abuse

We are aware that wine is not harmful to our health when consumed in moderation. However, this is exactly what the author is trying to warn us against: either to abuse, or to lose control of the intake.

Of course, we can transfer this same concept to other areas of our lives. Because anything with exaggeration will end up hurting us more than we do good. The example given in the sentence says that wine is not harmful in itself, but our lack of control over it.

5. Boasting can hide amount

We end with this quote by Don Juan Manuel. It warns against listening to excessive flattery, even though we all like to hear nice things about ourselves. There are many cases where the motives behind this are deception, as the author points out.

What Don Juan Manuel means by deception is that there may be other motives behind other people’s praise. For example, they might want something in return or manipulate us. So be aware, you know well when certain compliments are true or not.

Have you ever heard of Don Juan Manuel before today? Have you read Tales of Count Lucanor ? Did these sentences enable you to get closer to the values ​​that were important in the Middle Ages? They have probably helped you to reflect on some things. Which one did you like best?