This many-headed monster, Multitude.

This many-headed monster, Multitude.

. . . for thou art a stiff-necked people. . .

. . . for thou art a stiff-necked people. . .

We would not listen to those who were wont to say the voice of
the people is the voice read more

We would not listen to those who were wont to say the voice of
the people is the voice of God, for the voice of the mob is near
akin to madness.
[Lat., Nec audiendi sunt qui solent dicere vox populi, vox dei;
cum tumultus vulgi semper insaniae proxima sit.]

The public! the public! how many fools does it require to make
the public?
[Fr., Le public! le read more

The public! the public! how many fools does it require to make
the public?
[Fr., Le public! le public! combien faut-il de sots pour faire
un public?]

It is a good part of sagacity to have known the foolish desires
of the crowd and their unreasonable read more

It is a good part of sagacity to have known the foolish desires
of the crowd and their unreasonable notions.
[Lat., Bona prudentiae pars est nosse stultas vulgi cupiditates,
et absurdas opiniones.]

The public! why, the public's nothing better than a great baby.

The public! why, the public's nothing better than a great baby.

The voice of the people has about it something divine: for how
otherwise can so many heads agree together read more

The voice of the people has about it something divine: for how
otherwise can so many heads agree together as one?
[Lat., Vox populi habet aliquid divinum: nam quomo do aliter tot
capita in unum conspirare possint?]

I wish the crowd to feel itself well treated,
Especially since it lives and lets me live.
read more

I wish the crowd to feel itself well treated,
Especially since it lives and lets me live.
[Ger., Ich wunschte sehr, der Menge zu behagen,
Besonders weil sie lebt und leben lasst.]

The individual is foolish; the multitude, for the moment is
foolish, when they act without deliberation; but the species read more

The individual is foolish; the multitude, for the moment is
foolish, when they act without deliberation; but the species is
wise, and, when time is given to it, as a species it always acts
right.