Great Deeds

Therefore, you should know for certain that there is no one who can or should excuse himself from performing well according to his station, some in relation to arms, others in relation to the clerical vocation, others in relation to the affairs of the world. It therefore behooves each person to engage in the appropriate affairs and undertakings, for those who do well in them deserve to be esteemed and praised, each according to his status and according to what he does.

Hence no one should be dismayed at the thought of undertaking great deeds, for the above-mentioned men of standing tell us truly that those who have the will to achieve great worth are already on the way to great achievement. And they speak the truth, for because of their great desire to reach and attain that high honor, they do not care what sufferings they have to endure, but turn everything into great enjoyment.

Indeed, it is a fine thing to perform great deeds, for those who rise to great achievement cannot rightly grow tired or sated with it; so the more they achieve, the less they feel they have achieved; this stems from the delight they take in striving constantly to reach greater heights. And great good comes from performing these deeds, for the more one does, the less is one proud of oneself, and it always seems that there is so much left to do. (Charny pp. 63-64)

I quoted part of this yesterday in my post on exercise; once I was finished writing it, I read further in Charny's A Knight's Own Book of Chivalry. I found the rest of the quote inspiring and decided to post it, then comment on it. But there's nothing I can find to say more profound than what Charny has already said on the matter.