Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

José Joaquín de Olmedo, fully José Joaquín de Olmedo y Maruri

Ecuadorian Poet, Statesman

"He who does not hope to win has already lost."

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet."

"They set the slave free, striking off his chains. Then he was as much of a slave as ever. He was still chained to servility. He was still manacled to indolence and sloth, he was still bound by fear and superstition, by ignorance suspicion and savagery. His slavery was not in the chains, but in himself. They can only set free men free. And there is no need of that. Free men set themselves free."

"We are what we create."