While fame impedes and constricts, obscurity wraps about a man like a mist; obscurity is dark, ample, and free; obscurity lets the mind take its way unimpeded. Over the obscure man is poured the merciful suffusion of darkness. None knows where he goes or comes. He may seek the truth and speak it; he alone is free; he alone is truthful, he alone is at peace.

Summary

This quote suggests that fame can be confining and limiting, while obscurity provides freedom and liberation. Being unknown allows one's thoughts and actions to be unrestricted by outside expectations. The darkness of obscurity offers a shield of mercy, concealing one's movements and providing an environment where one can pursue truth, speak honestly, and find inner peace. In contrast, fame comes with the pressures of public opinion, rendering the individual restrained and possibly untruthful. Thus, the quote extols the virtues of obscurity as a state where one can embrace freedom, truthfulness, and tranquility.

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