Full Idea
The ancient pagans place virtues on a high plateau and make them appear the most valuable thing in the world, but they do not sufficiently instruct us about how to know them.
Gist of Idea
Greeks elevate virtues enormously, but never explain them
Source
René Descartes (A Discourse on Method [1637], §1.8)
Book Reference
Descartes,René: 'Discourse on Method/The Meditations', ed/tr. Sutcliffe,F.E. [Penguin 1968], p.31