Thanks to Pierre Wechter, who drew my attention to two more parallels illustrating the theme
Few, One, or None. The first parallel is from Montaigne,
Essays 1.39 (
On Solitude, tr. E.J. Trechmann), which recalls Seneca,
Letters to Lucilius 7.10-11:
Remember the man who, when he was asked to what purpose he took so much pains in an art which would come to the knowledge of few persons, replied: Few will suffice me; one, nay, less than one will suffice me. He spoke truly. You and a companion are a sufficient stage for one another, or you for yourself. Let the people be to you one, and let one be to you a whole people.
Souvienne vous de celuy à qui, comme on demandast à quoy faire il se pénoit si fort en un art, qui ne pouvoit venir à la cognoissance de guiere de gens: J'en ay assez de peu, respondit-il, j'en ay assez d'un, j'en ay assez de pas un. Il disoit vray: vous et un compagnon estes assez suffisant theatre l'un à l'autre, ou vous à vous-mesmes. Que le peuple vous soit un, et un vous soit tout le peuple.
The second parallel is Heraclitus, fragment 49 Diels (tr. Wechter):
One is worth ten thousand to me, as long as he is outstandingly good.
εἶς ἐμοὶ μύριοι, ἐὰν ἄριστος ᾖ.
Cicero,
Letters to Atticus 16.11.1, quotes part of this (
εἶς ἐμοὶ μύριοι).