Original Text(~250 words)
OF RECOMPENSES OF HONOUR They who write the life of Augustus Caesar,--[Suetonius, Life of Augustus, c. 25.]--observe this in his military discipline, that he was wonderfully liberal of gifts to men of merit, but that as to the true recompenses of honour he was as sparing; yet he himself had been gratified by his uncle with all the military recompenses before he had ever been in the field. It was a pretty invention, and received into most governments of the world, to institute certain vain and in themselves valueless distinctions to honour and recompense virtue, such as the crowns of laurel, oak, and myrtle, the particular fashion of some garment, the privilege to ride in a coach in the city, or at night with a torch, some peculiar place assigned in public assemblies, the prerogative of certain additional names and titles, certain distinctions in the bearing of coats of arms, and the like, the use of which, according to the several humours of nations, has been variously received, and yet continues. We in France, as also several of our neighbours, have orders of knighthood that are instituted only for this end. And ‘tis, in earnest, a very good and profitable custom to find out an acknowledgment for the worth of rare and excellent men, and to satisfy them with rewards that are not at all chargeable either to prince or people. And that which has always been found by ancient experience, and which we have heretofore observed among ourselves, that...
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Summary
Montaigne examines why some rewards feel meaningful while others don't, using the example of military honors and knighthood orders. He argues that true recognition derives its power from being rare and hard to earn. When honors become common or mixed with money, they lose their ability to motivate excellence. Augustus Caesar understood this—he gave out money freely but was stingy with medals and titles, knowing that scarcity creates value. Montaigne observes how France's Order of St. Michael once commanded deep respect precisely because it couldn't be bought and few received it. But when standards dropped and more people got the honor, it became meaningless. The same principle applies beyond military service: we don't praise parents for loving their children because that's expected, just as Spartans didn't boast about courage because everyone was brave. Montaigne warns against the modern tendency to hand out participation trophies and inflated titles. When everyone is special, no one is. He suggests it's better to give no recognition at all than to cheapen it by making it too common. The essay reveals how human psychology works—we value what's exclusive and dismiss what's ordinary. This creates a paradox: the more we try to make people feel valued through easy recognition, the less valuable that recognition becomes. True honor must be earned through genuine excellence, not distributed for political or social reasons.
That's what happens. To understand what the author is really doing—and to discuss this chapter with confidence—keep reading.
Terms to Know
Military recompenses
Awards given to soldiers for bravery or service, like medals, crowns, or special privileges. In ancient Rome, these were considered more valuable than money because they couldn't be bought. They represented honor that lasted beyond the battlefield.
Modern Usage:
We still see this in employee recognition programs where a 'Employee of the Month' parking spot means more than a small bonus because it's public recognition.
Orders of knighthood
Exclusive clubs or societies that honor people for exceptional service, originally military but later expanded to other fields. Membership was supposed to be rare and prestigious. France's Order of St. Michael is Montaigne's main example.
Modern Usage:
Think of professional halls of fame, lifetime achievement awards, or even exclusive memberships that lose meaning when standards drop.
Vain distinctions
Honors that have no practical value but carry social meaning - like special clothing, titles, or seating arrangements. Montaigne calls them 'vain' because they're symbols, but argues symbols can be powerful motivators when used correctly.
Modern Usage:
Corporate titles like 'Senior Vice President' or academic honors like 'magna cum laude' work the same way - they cost nothing but mean everything to those who earn them.
Virtue economics
Montaigne's concept that recognition works like money - the more you print, the less each piece is worth. Rare praise motivates excellence, while common praise becomes meaningless background noise.
Modern Usage:
This explains why participation trophies don't motivate kids, or why grade inflation makes A's feel worthless.
Honor inflation
What happens when standards for recognition drop and too many people receive honors that were once exclusive. The recognition loses its power to motivate because everyone expects it.
Modern Usage:
We see this everywhere from social media likes to workplace recognition programs that give awards to everyone.
Spartan virtue
Montaigne's reference to how Spartans didn't praise courage because it was expected of everyone. When a quality becomes universal in a culture, recognizing it becomes pointless.
Modern Usage:
We don't give awards for showing up to work on time because that's basic expectation, just like we don't praise parents for feeding their kids.
Characters in This Chapter
Augustus Caesar
Strategic leader
Montaigne's prime example of someone who understood honor economics. He gave money freely but was stingy with medals and titles, knowing that scarcity creates value. Even though he received military honors before seeing battle, he learned not to cheapen them for others.
Modern Equivalent:
The smart CEO who gives bonuses easily but makes 'Employee of the Year' really mean something
Suetonius
Historical witness
The ancient historian who documented Augustus's approach to military discipline and rewards. Montaigne uses his observations as evidence that even successful leaders understood the psychology of recognition.
Modern Equivalent:
The business journalist who documents how successful companies actually operate behind the scenes
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to spot when praise, awards, or titles lose meaning through overuse and lowered standards.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when recognition feels hollow—at work, in social media, or in daily interactions—and ask yourself what made it lose its power.
You have the foundation. Now let's look closer.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"It was a pretty invention, and received into most governments of the world, to institute certain vain and in themselves valueless distinctions to honour and recompense virtue"
Context: Montaigne explaining why symbolic honors exist across all cultures
This reveals Montaigne's insight that humans are motivated more by recognition than material rewards. He calls these honors 'vain' not to dismiss them, but to point out their power comes from meaning, not intrinsic value.
In Today's Words:
Every society figured out that people will work harder for a trophy than a paycheck, even though the trophy is just metal and ribbon.
"He was wonderfully liberal of gifts to men of merit, but that as to the true recompenses of honour he was as sparing"
Context: Describing Augustus Caesar's approach to rewarding soldiers
This shows Montaigne's key insight about motivation: money is easy to give and quickly forgotten, but honor must be rare to remain powerful. Augustus understood human psychology better than leaders who throw around titles.
In Today's Words:
He'd give you cash all day long, but getting a medal from him was like pulling teeth - and that's exactly why the medals mattered.
"When everyone is special, no one is"
Context: Montaigne's warning about what happens when honors become too common
This captures the central paradox of recognition: our desire to make everyone feel valued actually destroys the value of recognition itself. It's a timeless insight about human nature and motivation.
In Today's Words:
If everybody gets a trophy, the trophy stops meaning anything.
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Earned Value
When recognition becomes too common or easy to obtain, it loses its power to motivate or acknowledge genuine achievement.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Montaigne shows how social honors maintain class distinctions through scarcity—when everyone can have them, the hierarchy collapses
Development
Builds on earlier discussions of social positioning and status markers
In Your Life:
You might notice how certain certifications or titles at work lose prestige when they become too common or easy to get
Identity
In This Chapter
True identity comes from genuine achievement, not from titles or recognition handed out freely
Development
Continues Montaigne's exploration of authentic self-worth versus social validation
In Your Life:
You might struggle with whether your professional identity is based on real skills or inflated job titles
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Society expects certain behaviors as baseline (like parental love or Spartan courage) and only rewards what exceeds normal expectations
Development
Extends the theme of how social norms shape what we value and recognize
In Your Life:
You might feel unappreciated for doing your basic job well while others get praised for minimal effort
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
Relationships suffer when praise becomes meaningless—we stop believing compliments that come too easily
Development
New application of relationship dynamics through the lens of recognition and value
In Your Life:
You might notice your partner's compliments feel hollow if they praise everything you do equally
Modern Adaptation
When the Promotion Goes Sideways
Following Arthur's story...
Arthur watches his university's 'Outstanding Teacher' award lose all meaning. When he started, maybe two professors got it each year—real recognition that colleagues respected. But enrollment dropped, morale tanked, so administration started handing out more awards to 'boost spirits.' Now half the faculty has one. Arthur sees younger professors chase these hollow honors while students roll their eyes at professors wearing cheap pins. The award that once meant something now signals desperation. Meanwhile, Arthur notices which colleagues actually care about teaching versus those collecting meaningless accolades. He realizes the administration destroyed the very thing they tried to create—a way to recognize excellent teaching. When his department chair hints Arthur might get the award next, he feels nothing but embarrassment. The recognition he once wanted now feels like participation trophy.
The Road
The road Augustus Caesar walked in ancient Rome, Arthur walks today in academia. The pattern is identical: when you make recognition common, you kill its power to actually recognize excellence.
The Map
Arthur can spot when institutions destroy value by trying to create it artificially. He can distinguish between earned recognition and manufactured morale-boosting.
Amplification
Before reading this, Arthur might have felt confused about why workplace awards felt hollow or why he didn't want recognition anymore. Now he can NAME the scarcity principle, PREDICT when recognition will become meaningless, and NAVIGATE by focusing on genuine achievement rather than chasing devalued honors.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why did Augustus Caesar give out money freely but carefully control who received medals and titles?
analysis • surface - 2
What happened to France's Order of St. Michael when they started giving it to more people, and why did this predictably occur?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this pattern of 'recognition inflation' happening in your workplace, school, or community today?
application • medium - 4
When someone offers you easy praise or recognition that feels hollow, how do you respond without being rude?
application • deep - 5
Why do humans seem wired to value rare things over common things, even when the common things might be objectively better?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Audit Your Recognition Environment
Look at one area of your life where you regularly receive or give recognition—work, family, hobbies, or social groups. List three types of praise or rewards that happen there. For each one, ask: Is this rare or common? Is it earned or automatic? Does it actually motivate people or has it become meaningless background noise?
Consider:
- •Notice the difference between recognition that makes you feel genuinely proud versus recognition that feels empty
- •Consider whether you're chasing rewards that have been inflated to meaninglessness
- •Think about how you give recognition to others—are you accidentally cheapening it?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you received recognition that truly mattered to you. What made it meaningful? How was it different from routine praise you've gotten?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 65: Fathers, Children, and the Art of Letting Go
In the next chapter, you'll discover to balance parental authority with genuine affection, and learn clinging to power in old age destroys family relationships. These insights reveal timeless patterns that resonate in our own lives and relationships.