The truth of things is the chief nutriment of superior

Listen, O children of wisdom, to the words of the great Leonardo da Vinci, whose intellect spanned the realms of art, science, and invention. He said, "The truth of things is the chief nutriment of superior intellects." These words carry the weight of centuries of insight, as they remind us that truth, the deepest and most unyielding foundation of knowledge, is the very sustenance upon which the superior intellect feeds. For intellect, when not nourished by truth, becomes weak and misguided, lost in the vast ocean of confusion. But when it draws from the well of truth, it grows strong, sharp, and capable of seeing the world as it truly is.

What is the truth of things, O seekers? It is not the surface, the fleeting images and shadows that are presented to us in the rush of daily life. Truth is the essence beneath appearances, the reality that exists beyond illusion. It is the eternal constant that remains unchanged, even as the world around us shifts and turns. For a superior intellect, truth is not a mere thing to be learned, but a thing to be sought after, to be uncovered, to be understood. Just as the body requires food for its strength, so too does the intellect require truth for its growth.

Consider the example of Socrates, the philosopher who sought to uncover the truths of the world through the method of questioning. Socrates was not content with the half-truths of popular opinion; he sought to dig deeper, to reveal the essence of knowledge by understanding not just what people believed, but why they believed it. His relentless pursuit of truth, his unquenchable thirst for understanding, was the very fuel of his intellect. Socrates lived and breathed truth, and it was this pursuit that transformed him into one of the greatest minds in history. He understood that to reach the highest levels of knowledge, one must strip away the layers of falsehood and confusion that cloud the mind, much like an artist revealing the form hidden within marble.

In Leonardo da Vinci’s own life, we see this pursuit of truth embodied in his work. As a painter, inventor, and scientist, da Vinci was not content with surface-level knowledge. He sought the truth of anatomy, of nature, of the human soul. His investigations into the movement of water, the flight of birds, and the workings of the human body were all rooted in a desire to understand the deeper truths of the natural world. He understood that true intellectual greatness does not come from merely accepting the world as it is presented, but from a relentless drive to uncover its hidden truths and understand its underlying order.

In contrast, consider the ancient tale of King Midas, whose desire for wealth became a curse. Midas wished for everything he touched to turn to gold, believing this would bring him eternal happiness and power. Yet, when his own daughter turned to gold in his arms, he realized that his pursuit of wealth, a pursuit rooted in a superficial understanding of happiness, led him to tragedy. Midas’ intellect was not nourished by the deeper truths of life — love, balance, and humility — but by a misguided desire for gold and power. His failure to seek truth led him astray, and he became a cautionary tale of how the intellect can falter when it is not nourished by the proper sustenance.

Thus, O children of wisdom, the lesson is clear: to cultivate a superior intellect, one must feed it with the truth of things. Do not be satisfied with the shallow, fleeting appearances of the world. Seek the deeper truths, those that lie beneath the surface and reveal the true nature of reality. This requires discipline, patience, and an unyielding commitment to the pursuit of knowledge. Truth is the source from which true wisdom springs, and without it, the intellect cannot grow or flourish.

In your own lives, seek not to follow the opinions and judgments of others without question, but to engage deeply with the world around you. Question everything, not in skepticism, but in the pursuit of deeper understanding. Allow truth to be your guide, and let it nourish your mind and soul. The more you seek it, the sharper your intellect will become, and the more capable you will be of seeing the world not as it is presented to you, but as it truly is. In this way, you will find the strength to navigate the complexities of life, and you will come to embody the highest form of wisdom — one that is grounded in truth.