# CCXX explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A brief aphoristic chapter contrasting true greatness, which accepts truth in reverent silence, with false greatness, which clings to a noisy faith.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

The chapter contrasts authentic self-knowledge with self-deceptive belief in one's own greatness.

## Key lines

> He who knows himself great accepts the truth in reverent silence, but he who only believes himself great has embraced a noisy faith.

A truly great person quietly acknowledges reality, while someone who merely thinks they are great loudly proclaims a false conviction.

_The chapter's sole statement, contrasting genuine self-awareness with arrogant self-delusion._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/ccxx
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters