Chapter 51
When Words Become Weapons of Deception
OF THE VANITY OF WORDS A rhetorician of times past said, that to make little things appear great was his profession. This was a shoemaker, who can make a great shoe for a little foot.--[A saying of Agesilaus.]--They would in Sparta have sent such a fellow to be whipped for making profession of a tricky and deceitful act; and I fancy that Archidamus, who was king of that country, was a little surprised at the answer of Thucydides, when inquiring of him, which was the better wrestler, Pericles, or he, he replied, that it was hard to affirm; for when…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"to make little things appear great was his profession."
Context: Rhetorician's boast
Size inflation.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne opens that an old rhetorician said making little things appear great was his profession, like a shoemaker making a great shoe for a little foot. Fancy words stretch small matter. When someone's language outruns their evidence, ask what size idea is actually inside the argument.
"possessed with the palace of Apollidon; when, after all, I find them but the paltry pieces of my own kitchen door"
Context: Architectural jargon
Grand words, small object.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says bombast about pilasters and cornices fills his imagination with the palace of Apollidon, then he finds the pieces are his own kitchen door. Technical vocabulary magnifies the trivial. Strip the jargon and see whether you are still impressed by what is being built.
"science to persuade the people;” Socrates and Plato “an art to flatter and deceive."
Context: Definition of rhetoric
Persuasion not truth.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne cites Aristo defining rhetoric as a science to persuade the people, while Socrates and Plato call it an art to flatter and deceive. Eloquence aims at assent, not accuracy. Notice when a speaker is winning the room instead of testing whether the claim is true.
"Hoc salsum est, hoc adustum est, hoc lautum est, parum: Illud recte: iterum sic memento: sedulo Moneo, qux possum, pro mea sapientia. Postremo, tanquam in speculum, in patinas, Demea, Inspicere jubeo, et moneo, quid facto usus sit"
Context: Cook's lecture
Kitchen as empire.
In Today's Words:
Terence's cook inspects dishes like a mirror, crying this is too salty, that burnt, remember to do better next time, with the gravity of a statesman. Montaigne's clerk did the same with sauces. When routine work gets cathedral language, suspect performance more than real expertise.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Montaigne shows how fancy language becomes a class marker—people use big words to seem more educated or important than they are
Development
Building on earlier observations about social pretension, now focusing specifically on language as a class performance
In Your Life:
You might notice coworkers using jargon to sound more professional or people name-dropping concepts they don't really understand
Identity
In This Chapter
People construct false identities through verbal complexity, becoming the roles they perform rather than expressing who they actually are
Development
Extends previous themes about authentic self-expression versus social performance
In Your Life:
You might catch yourself using professional buzzwords or medical terminology to sound more competent than you feel
Deception
In This Chapter
Complex language often serves to deceive—either others about our knowledge or ourselves about our understanding
Development
Introduced here as a specific form of self and social deception
In Your Life:
You might recognize when politicians or salespeople use impressive words to avoid giving straight answers
Communication
In This Chapter
True communication requires clarity and simplicity, while verbal showboating actually prevents real understanding
Development
Introduced here as contrast between genuine and performative communication
In Your Life:
You might realize that your clearest conversations happen when both people speak simply and directly
Power
In This Chapter
Language becomes a tool for claiming authority and status, especially when actual expertise is lacking
Development
New angle on power dynamics—how words themselves become weapons of social positioning
In Your Life:
You might notice how some people use complex language to shut down questions or make others feel stupid
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What does Montaigne's kitchen servant reveal about how people use fancy language to describe ordinary tasks?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
The servant described cooking with the same pompous gravity used for theology or empire management, showing how inflated language makes simple work sound profound when it's really just preparing food.
- 2
Why does Montaigne compare women using makeup to rhetoricians using flowery speech?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
Both cover up reality with artificial enhancement, but rhetoricians are worse because they deceive our judgment about important matters, not just our eyes about appearance.
- 3
Where do you notice people using unnecessarily complex language to sound more important in your daily life?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Corporate emails full of synergy and optimization, politicians avoiding direct answers with elaborate phrases, or social media posts using academic jargon to sound smart about simple topics.
- 4
How would you apply Montaigne's insight about plain speaking when giving a presentation or writing an important email?
application • deepOne way to read it
Focus on clear, direct language that serves the audience's understanding rather than impressing them. Ask whether each fancy word actually adds meaning or just sounds impressive.
- 5
What does Montaigne's observation about rhetoric flourishing in chaotic times suggest about when people are most vulnerable to manipulation?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
When people feel uncertain or overwhelmed, they're more likely to be swayed by confident-sounding words rather than carefully evaluating the actual ideas behind them.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Translate the Jargon
Find an example of unnecessarily complex language from your workplace, a news article, or social media. Write down the original version, then translate it into plain English that a middle schooler could understand. Compare what's actually being said versus how impressive it originally sounded.
Consider:
- •Does the message lose any real meaning when simplified?
- •What might the original speaker be trying to hide or accomplish?
- •How does your reaction change when you strip away the fancy packaging?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you used more complex language than necessary. What were you really trying to accomplish, and how did it feel?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 52: When Less Is More
After words that inflate small things, Montaigne turns to ancient thrift. Regulus will ask Rome to recall him because a hind ran off with his farm tools, and Cato will sell his warhorse to save freight.
