It has been said that misfortune sharpens our wits, but . . . it often simply dulls them.

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Iron sharpens iron; scholar, the scholar.

He will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body, heavy affliction, or loss of mind, Or a misfortune coming from the king, or a fearful accusation, or loss of relations, or destruction of treasures, Or lightning-fire will burn his houses; and when his body is destroyed, the fool will go to hell.

Getting something and having the wits to use it...those are two different things.

I do not know what the spirit of a philosopher could more wish to be than a good dancer. For the dance is his ideal, also his fine art, finally also the only kind of piety he knows, his 'divine service.'