"For the impious act begets more after it, like to the parent stock"
- Aeschylus
About this Quote
This quote by Aeschylus is a cautioning about the consequences of dedicating an impious act. An impious act is one that is considered to be morally incorrect or offending to a deity. Aeschylus is stating that when somebody dedicates an impious act, it will cause more impious acts in the future. This resembles how a moms and dad stock, or a group of plants or animals that are related to each other, will produce more of the same kind. In other words, when someone dedicates an impious act, it will cause more impious acts in the future, simply as a parent stock will produce more of the same kind.
This quote is a suggestion that our actions have consequences, and that we ought to be mindful of the options we make. It is a caution that if we dedicate an impious act, it will cause more impious acts in the future, which this cycle can be difficult to break. Aeschylus is reminding us that we ought to be careful of our actions and think twice before committing an impious act, as it can have significant repercussions.
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