John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
43 Geoffrey Chauer 1340-1400 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 43 |
| AUTHOR: | Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340–1400) |
| QUOTATION: | Of harmes two the lesse is for to cheese. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Troilus and Creseide. Book ii. Line 470. |
| Note 1. Of two evils the less is always to be chosen.—Thomas à Kempis: Imitation of Christ, book ii. chap. xii. Richard Hooker: Polity, book v. chap. lxxxi. Of two evils I have chose the least.—Matthew Prior: Imitation of Horace. E duobus malis minimum eligendum (Of two evils, the least should be chosen).—Erasmus: Adages. Cicero: De Officiis, iii. 1. [back] |