Erasmus’ Adagia 2.12.
Per publicam viam ne ambules
Λεωφόρου μὴ βαδίζειν, id est Per publicam viam ne ambules. Diuus Hieronymus
exponit: Ne vulgi sequaris errores. Nunquam enim tam bene cum rebus humanis
actum est, vt optima plurimis placuerint. Vnde quidam hoc sic efferunt: Viam
regiam declinato, per semitas ingreditor. Quod quidem praeceptum non abhorret
ab Euangelica doctrina, quae monet, vt declinata via spaciosa per quam
ambulant plerique, per angustam ingrediamur viam a paucis quidem tritam,
sed ducentem ad immortalitatem.Do not walk along the public way. Saint Jerome explains: Do not follow the errors of the crowd. Indeed, never in human affairs has it been possible to act such that the best actions are pleasing to the majority. For this reason certain authors say it in this way: Avoid the royal road, take the by-ways. A precept which itself is not in disagreement with the evangelical doctrine, which warns that we should turn away from the spacious way by which the many walk and go by the narrow path which is trod by few but leads to immortality.
Extracts 