This quote uses a powerful metaphor to describe how easy it is to fall into bad habits or difficult situations, but how incredibly challenging it is to escape them. It’s a warning about the long-term consequences of destructive choices.
Quote by Virgil: “The descent into hell is easy; the return, arduous.”
The descent into hell is easy; the return, arduous.
Insight
Historical Context
This quote reflects the ancient world's fascination with the underworld and the moral complexities of human choice. During Virgil's time, moral philosophy was a key part of education for Roman citizens and leaders.
About the Author
Roman poet who lived 70–19 BCE, best known for the Aeneid — an epic poem tracing the mythological founding of Rome — as well as the Eclogues and the Georgics. He is widely regarded as the greatest of Roman poets and had an enormous influence on Western literature from Dante to the present.
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