Does anyone know what this quote means?

There is no direct path to truth, you have to go around and around.

>>9433882
I believe this quote is about the difficult journey that must be embarked if one hopes to reach truth. After he explains the arduous journey, he explains that those that eventually reach the summit must begin the difficult process and scale the huge hill.

The hill of course represent the obstacles that one must conquer before discovering what is true

>>9434195
also, it seems to impart an obligation on the man to face and conquer this challenge.

>>9434195
>>9434197
I don't see it as so much an obligation but that He who chases after the Truth is someone who Must, because it is in his nature. Of course, "Must" here could solely be in the sense of "Must climb the hill" but considering it's Donne, it's probably both.

>>9434211
I don't understand how "someone who Must, because it is in his nature." is not an obligation.

Upon rereading it I concur that it speaks of those that climb the hill. "Will" in the second line gives the condition to those that choose to strive for truth. I think if he was implying there were a selected few who had it as he duty he would have omitted the word "will".

>>9434220
>will
>used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent, or in negative constructions refusal
>Merriam-Webster
Whoever wants to find the truth has to climb the hill. What part is hard to understand?

>>9434240
I already made that correction in my previous post so I don't understand why you felt the need to comment.

>>9434220
Obligations to me are generally grounded externally and motivated by ethics principles/guidance. "I'm obligated to do so because of my own desires" doesn't seem quire right to me.

And sure, I don't know if Donne was indicated a 'selected few' or not, but those with the Will to Truth, choosing to pursue it---the mindset or Will generally correlates with persistence. So those who chase Truth do so with no grave issue toward the 'huge hill' that is 'cragged and steep.'

>>9434308
Well, depends on how you interpret "selected few". Who selects them? "Selected few" sounds not so much like some sort of secular term as a result of divine agency. It seems to me that many religion apologists equate the concept of "divine agency" with "free will". I.e. if you chose to seek Truth by your free will it is because you were selected by God to do so.