I learned this hard lesson when I lectured at the same hour as another philosopher, only to find my room empty and his crowded. The crowd there did not hate my words; they simply preferred the noise of a man who speaks without knowing what he says. When a man displays true intellect, he strikes a blow against the vanity of those around him, and they retaliate with sullen resentment or open insult. They cannot bear to be reminded that their minds are small compared to yours, so they treat you as if you do not exist, hoping to starve your spirit into silence.

Before nightfall, hide your light in a lantern that casts no shadow upon others. Let them think you simple, for simplicity is the only armor against the envy of the mediocre. Do not correct their errors or explain their confusion; let them remain in their comfortable ignorance while you walk away to your own solitude. This is the only peace available to the wise man who refuses to fight the battle of the will.

I ask you to observe the faces of those who surround you when you speak plainly. You will see not admiration, but a subtle tightening of the jaw and a coldness in the eyes that betrays their secret wish to see you diminished. Do not mistake this silence for respect; it is merely a mask for their fear that your superior mind exposes their own emptiness. Keep your distance from such company, for they will always seek to humble you in some other way when they cannot defeat you with words.