Almost four hundred years ago, in Zaragoza, Spain, Baltasar Gracián began to write what many modern-day scholars consider to be the most prolific and mysterious of his seven works, El Discreto: The Complete Man (1646). It is a treatise that describes the qualities that are needed for a man to become the center of perfection, as he experiences life and its spacious fields of time. Through his mystifying, divinized, and sacred style, he explores the themes of moral and political philosophy, literature, criticism, human nature, morality, and the complexity of social relationships. It is a discourse full of fables, metaphors, allegories, and wordplay that requires the reader to measure himself against the greatness of its matter in order to understand and benefit from its wisdom.

Chained to a linguistic barrier for centuries, with its complexity making it nearly impossible to translate into English, this Spanish masterpiece has remained largely unavailable to modern readers until now. This fascinating book, which Friedrich Nietzsche referred to as the finest and most complicated work to ever come out of Europe, contains all that is needed to become a Master of Matters and a Master of Men.

Praise

In the experience of life, Gracián shows incomparable wisdom. -Friedrich Nietzsche

My favorite author is the philosophical Gracián, all of whose books I have read. -Arthur Schopenhauer

This jewel of a man is very gifted; I assure you that he contains great things. -King Philip IV of Spain

No one who precedes him, nor those who follow him, will be able to surpass him in genius and ingenuity; he is the ne plus ultra. -Don Vincencio Juan de Lastanosa, Spanish Noble and Knight

About the translator

Moises San Pedro, professionally known as Mike San Pedro, is a writer and philosopher. He is a student and historian of Baltasar Gracián and a friend of his singular spirit.

Think with the few and speak with the many, Friends are a second existence, and Be able to forget are among this volume's 300 pithy maxims on politics, professional life, and personal development. Published in 1637 by Baltasar Gracian, a Spanish Jesuit scholar, this book of timeless advice, focusing on honesty and kindness, remains ever popular.

In the experience of life, Gracián shows incomparable wisdom. -Friedrich Nietzsche

Almost four hundred years ago, in Zaragoza, Spain, Baltasar Gracián began to write what many modern-day scholars consider to be the most prolific and mysterious of his seven works, El Discreto: The Complete Man (1646). It is a treatise that describes the qualities that are needed for a man to become the center of perfection, as he experiences life and its spacious fields of time. Through his mystifying, divinized, and sacred style, he explores the themes of moral and political philosophy, literature, criticism, human nature, morality, and the complexity of social relationships. It is a discourse full of fables, metaphors, allegories, and wordplay that requires the reader to measure himself against the greatness of its matter in order to understand and benefit from its wisdom.

Chained to a linguistic barrier for centuries, with its complexity making it nearly impossible to translate into English, this Spanish masterpiece has remained largely unavailable to modern readers until now. This fascinating book, which Friedrich Nietzsche referred to as the finest and most complicated work to ever come out of Europe, contains all that is needed to become a Master of Matters and a Master of Men.

Una guía que inspirará hoy a cualquier persona honesta que desee gestionar su vida de manera audaz y estratégica en un mundo cada vez más competitivo y hostil.

A lo largo de la historia, algunos libros han cambiado el mundo. Han transformado la manera en que nos vemos a nosotros mismos y a los demás. Han inspirado el debate, la discordia, la guerra y la revolución. Han iluminado, indignado, provocado y consolado. Han enriquecido vidas, y también las han destruido. Taurus publica las obras de los grandes pensadores, pioneros, radicales y visionarios cuyas ideas sacudieron la civilización y nos impulsaron a ser quienes somos.

También conocido como el Oráculo manual, esta pequeña obra maestra se compone de trescientos aforismos que condensan la sabiduría práctica de Baltasar Gracián, uno de los mayores escritores europeos del barroco. Los consejos de este sabio sobre la discreción, la necedad de quejarse, el autocontrol, el buen gusto y el arte del disimulo resultan asombrosamente modernos.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

A guide that will inspire anyone who wishes to direct their life boldly and strategically in an increasingly competitive and hostile world.

Baltasar Gracián y Morales, better known as Baltasar Gracián, was a Spanish Jesuit and philosopher. Gracián's style, generically called conceptism, is characterized by ellipsis and the concentration of a maximum of significance in a minimum of form, an approach referred to in Spanish as agudeza (wit), and which is brought to its extreme in The Art of Prudence or The art of governing oneself which is almost entirely composed of three hundred maxims with commentary. He constantly plays with words: each phrase becomes a puzzle, using the most diverse rhetorical devices. His writings were lauded by Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.

El Héroe: The Valiant Hero (1637) stands as a timeless masterpiece of didactic prose, meticulously crafted to guide readers on the path to becoming a Valiant Hero and living a successful and virtuous life. Within its pages, El Padre Baltasar Gracián explores the essential qualities that define the ideal man, emphasizing the significance of ingenuity, prudence, and self-mastery in overcoming life's challenges.

As the first of Gracián's seven masterpieces, El Héroe is the culmination of over fifteen years of dedicated study into the thoughts and experiences of historical figures such as Emperors Alexander and Julius Caesar, the kings of Spain, and renowned philosophers and writers like Seneca, Aesop, and Aristotle. In its twenty chapters, readers will discover a wealth of knowledge distilled into a comprehensive guide for personal development and moral excellence.

This enduring work offers profound insights into the nature of heroism and virtue, focusing on the essential qualities required to embody a Valiant Hero characterized by courage, wisdom, integrity, and piety.

My favorite author is the philosophical Gracián, all of whose books I have read.

-Arthur Schopenhauer

El Politico: The Perfect King (1640) is a timeless masterpiece and the second of seven penned by Baltasar Gracián, the renowned Spanish philosopher, writer, and priest. Published in 1640 and translated into English for the first time since its original publication, this influential work is a profound exploration of the art of kingship, offering astute observations and strategic insights that remain relevant across centuries. It is a philosophical discourse that delves deep into the complexities of power and the intricate dynamics of human nature. Structured as a collection of concise and eloquent aphorisms, each containing a nugget of wisdom distilled from Gracián's keen observations of history, it addresses the virtues of kings, the vices of disgraced rulers, and the importance of prudence in decision-making.

El Politico stands as a testament to the enduring wisdom of El Padre Baltasar Gracián, offering invaluable insights into the intricacies of the human condition, while teaching strategies and tactics essential for navigating the treacherous waters of leadership with finesse and sagacity. Its relevance transcends the boundaries of time and place, making it essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the balance between power and governance and wishing to compose the Perfect King in his own personal life. It also serves as a profound meditation on human nature and social interaction, offering penetrating wit and intellect and challenging the reader to reflect on the moral and ethical dimensions of power, ambition, and piety.

El Politico, characterized by its depth, clarity, and pragmatism, is designed to shape the modern day reader into the Perfect King: wise, courageous, discerning, and temperate.

El Héroe: The Valiant Hero (1637) stands as a timeless masterpiece of didactic prose, meticulously crafted to guide readers on the path to becoming a Valiant Hero and living a successful and virtuous life. Within its pages, El Padre Baltasar Gracián explores the essential qualities that define the ideal man, emphasizing the significance of ingenuity, prudence, and self-mastery in overcoming life's challenges.

As the first of Gracián's seven masterpieces, El Héroe is the culmination of over fifteen years of dedicated study into the thoughts and experiences of historical figures such as Emperors Alexander and Julius Caesar, the kings of Spain, and renowned philosophers and writers like Seneca, Aesop, and Aristotle. In its twenty chapters, readers will discover a wealth of knowledge distilled into a comprehensive guide for personal development and moral excellence.

This enduring work offers profound insights into the nature of heroism and virtue, focusing on the essential qualities required to embody a Valiant Hero characterized by courage, wisdom, integrity, and piety.

With chapters bearing titles such as The Heart of a King, A Man of Eminence, and Winning the Grace of Others, El Héroe serves as a manual for self-governance, a compass directing readers towards excellence, and a roadmap to achieving singularity and distinction. It is a testament to the enduring relevance of Father Gracián's teachings and philosophy, providing readers with a timeless blueprint for personal growth and moral enlightenment.

My favorite author is the philosophical Gracián, all of whose books I have read. -Arthur Schopenhauer

El Politico: The Perfect King (1640) is a timeless masterpiece and the second of seven penned by Baltasar Gracián, the renowned Spanish philosopher, writer, and priest. Published in 1640 and translated into English for the first time since its original publication, this influential work is a profound exploration of the art of kingship, offering astute observations and strategic insights that remain relevant across centuries. It is a philosophical discourse that delves deep into the complexities of power and the intricate dynamics of human nature. Structured as a collection of concise and eloquent aphorisms, each containing a nugget of wisdom distilled from Gracián's keen observations of history, it addresses the virtues of kings, the vices of disgraced rulers, and the importance of prudence in decision-making.

El Politico stands as a testament to the enduring wisdom of El Padre Baltasar Gracián, offering invaluable insights into the intricacies of the human condition, while teaching strategies and tactics essential for navigating the treacherous waters of leadership with finesse and sagacity. Its relevance transcends the boundaries of time and place, making it essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the balance between power and governance and wishing to compose the Perfect King in his own personal life. It also serves as a profound meditation on human nature and social interaction, offering penetrating wit and intellect and challenging the reader to reflect on the moral and ethical dimensions of power, ambition, and piety.

El Politico, characterized by its depth, clarity, and pragmatism, is designed to shape the modern day reader into the Perfect King: wise, courageous, discerning, and temperate.

Baltasar Gracián es uno de los escritores más importantes de la literatura española barroca. Este tomo contiene algunas de sus obras más destacadas, como El Criticón y El Héroe, que combinan la filosofía y la narrativa de una manera única. Con este libro, el lector será transportado a un mundo de ingenio y sabiduría, donde personajes complejos y situaciones inesperadas se entrelazan para crear una obra maestra literaria.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Oráculo manual y arte de prudencia, del jesuita Baltasar Gracián, es un tratado práctico. Fue concebido para que el pensamiento y los principios abstractos se supediten a la situaciones de la vida, en una mezcla equilibrada entre ingenio cotidiano y saber filosófico. Publicado en 1647, además de ser fiel a su título lleno de respuestas prácticas, es un prodigio de clarividencia proclive al pesimismo. El estilo de sus 300 máximas es denso y de un laconismo conceptista que acude a la antítesis, a la anáfora, a la paronomasia y, sobre todo, a la elipsis. Este libro consigue un efecto tan brillante como enigmático, que resalta un pesimismo desolador. Las definiciones de Gracián al respecto afirman que el escritor debe mezclar lo complejo y lo breve con precisión aforística. La filosofía de Gracián, a medio camino entre lo ascético y lo mundano, describe las emociones como accesos abiertos. Estos permiten entender los secretos y las voluntades ajenas, manteniendo a la vez cerrado el paso a las propias emociones. Estas emociones encubiertas como afectos, podrán emplearse para ejercer influencia sobre aquellos entornos jerárquicos en que el individuo se vea obligado a convivir. El hombre social graciano es equiparable a un actor o actriz capaz de construir uno o varios personajes emocionales con el objetivo de interpretar con éxito su papel social. En Oráculo manual y arte de prudencia, Gracián intenta mostrar un término medio entre el anhelo de una vida significativa y dichosa y la necesidad de tener éxito y afirmarse en un mundo lleno de intrigas. Muchos de sus aforismos comentados resultan sorprendentemente modernos: pensar positivamente, utilizar las propias capacidades, construir relaciones, distribuir bien el tiempo. Estos consejos también podrían provenir de textos normativos de nuestra época. La obra de Gracián está lejos de ser anticuada, pues tiene mucho que decirle al lector actual.

The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
Western literary study flows out of eighteenth-century works by Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Frances Burney, Denis Diderot, Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and others. Experience the birth of the modern novel, or compare the development of language using dictionaries and grammar discourses.
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The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
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British Library

T109469

With three final advertisement pages.

Dublin: printed by S. P. for George Risk, George Ewing, and William Smith, 1726. 12],211, 5]p.; 12

The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
Western literary study flows out of eighteenth-century works by Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Frances Burney, Denis Diderot, Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and others. Experience the birth of the modern novel, or compare the development of language using dictionaries and grammar discourses.
++++
The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
++++
British Library

T109469

With three final advertisement pages.

Dublin: printed by S. P. for George Risk, George Ewing, and William Smith, 1726. [12],211, [5]p.; 12

The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
The Age of Enlightenment profoundly enriched religious and philosophical understanding and continues to influence present-day thinking. Works collected here include masterpieces by David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as religious sermons and moral debates on the issues of the day, such as the slave trade. The Age of Reason saw conflict between Protestantism and Catholicism transformed into one between faith and logic -- a debate that continues in the twenty-first century.
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The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
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British Library

T145054

With an initial advertisement leaf. Copy filmed at UMI microfilm Early English Books, Tract Supplement reel E3 a fragment with title page only.

London: printed for Jonah Bowyer, at the Rose in Ludgate-street, near the West End of St, [sic] Pauls, 1705. [30], 280 p.; 8

Un traité philosophique qui offre une critique de la nature humaine, de la moralité et de la religion. Écrit par le philosophe et prêtre jésuite Baltasar Gracián, ce livre examine le comportement humain et soulève des questions sur la vérité, la sagesse et la perception de soi.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Este volumen abarca la vida y la obra de Baltasar Gracián, un filósofo y escritor español del siglo XVII conocido por sus obras de aforismos. Lleno de reflexiones perspicaces sobre la vida y la moral, este libro es una lectura esencial para aquellos interesados en la filosofía y la literatura barroca.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
Western literary study flows out of eighteenth-century works by Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Frances Burney, Denis Diderot, Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and others. Experience the birth of the modern novel, or compare the development of language using dictionaries and grammar discourses.
++++
The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
++++
British Library

T145053



London: printed for D. Browne, J. Walthoe, W. Mears, and Jonas Browne, 1714. 28],280p.; 8

The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
The Age of Enlightenment profoundly enriched religious and philosophical understanding and continues to influence present-day thinking. Works collected here include masterpieces by David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as religious sermons and moral debates on the issues of the day, such as the slave trade. The Age of Reason saw conflict between Protestantism and Catholicism transformed into one between faith and logic -- a debate that continues in the twenty-first century.
++++
The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
++++
British Library

T109264



London: printed for Daniel Brown; J. Walthoe; and T. Benskin, 1702. 28],280p.; 8

Il faut aujourd'hui plus de conditions pour faire un sage, qu'il n'en fallut anciennement pour en faire sept; et il faut en ce temps-ci plus d'habileté pour traiter avec un seul homme, qu'il n'en fallait autrefois pour traiter avec tout un peuple.

Le but de Gracián est de porter les hommes à l'héroïsme dans les conditions distinguées de la vie, auxquelles les autres dont elles font la gloire et l'appui se réduisent. Il appelle héros tous les personnages illustres, les grands hommes de guerre, les grands esprits pour la politique, les grands hommes dans la magistrature, les génies extraordinaires pour les lettres, etc. En effet, on peut bien dire que tous les grands hommes se ressemblent en un sens, et c'est que la nature les a comme marqués à un même coin. Quelque différents que puissent être les talents qui les distinguent, la supériorité de leur mérite met entre eux un rapport commun. C'est la pensée de M. l'Abbé Massieu.