Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 10/32

top of page

Quotes by Greek Authors

"We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds."

"We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds."

Aristotle Onassis, Greek Businessman

Progress, Hope, Rest, Sea, Will

4

"Do not gain basely; base gain is equal to ruin."

"Do not gain basely; base gain is equal to ruin."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

4

"A man calumniated is doubly injured - first by him who utters the calumny, and then by him who believes it."

"A man calumniated is doubly injured - first by him who utters the calumny, and then by him who believes it."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Society, Calumny, First, Man

4

"To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach."

"To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach."

Demosthenes, Greek Statesman

4

"It will not always be summer; build barns."

"It will not always be summer; build barns."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Preparation, Summer, Will

4

"When one is required to preside over the Church, and be entrusted with the care of so many souls, the whole female sex must retire before the magnitude of the task, and the majority of men also."

"When one is required to preside over the Church, and be entrusted with the care of so many souls, the whole female sex must retire before the magnitude of the task, and the majority of men also."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

Men, Sex, Church, Care

4

"There is nothing good or evil save in the will."

"There is nothing good or evil save in the will."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, Evil, Nothing, Will

4

"Wherever you turn, there is always something wrong with the politicians. They have everything they need to save the world, and they don't save it."

"Wherever you turn, there is always something wrong with the politicians. They have everything they need to save the world, and they don't save it."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Politicians, World, Wrong

4

"The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be."

"The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Integrity, Honor, World

4

"Society is well governed when its people obey the magistrates, and the magistrates obey the law."

"Society is well governed when its people obey the magistrates, and the magistrates obey the law."

Solon, Greek Statesman

Society, People, Law

4

"Ignorance of one's misfortunes is clear gain."

"Ignorance of one's misfortunes is clear gain."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Gain, Ignorance

4

"Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances."

"Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Circumstances

4

"When you want something very dearly, you make the time."

"When you want something very dearly, you make the time."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

4

"People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them."

"People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

4

"A doubtful friend is worse than a certain enemy. Let a man be one thing or the other, and we then know how to meet him."

"A doubtful friend is worse than a certain enemy. Let a man be one thing or the other, and we then know how to meet him."

Aesop, Greek Author

Friendship, Friend, Enemy, Man

4

"If I was sad or afraid, I would sit in a corner and sing. If I was happy I would jump into the middle of the room and sing. It was how I expressed my emotions."

"If I was sad or afraid, I would sit in a corner and sing. If I was happy I would jump into the middle of the room and sing. It was how I expressed my emotions."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Emotional, Emotions

4

"I only wish that ordinary people had an unlimited capacity for doing harm; then they might have an unlimited power for doing good."

"I only wish that ordinary people had an unlimited capacity for doing harm; then they might have an unlimited power for doing good."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Power, People, Harm

4

"High thoughts must have high language."

"High thoughts must have high language."

Aristophanes, Greek Poet

Thought, Thoughts, Language

4

"To be ignorant of the lives of the most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood all our days."

"To be ignorant of the lives of the most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood all our days."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, Childhood, State

4

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Life, Living, Worth

4

"Democracy passes into despotism."

"Democracy passes into despotism."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Politics, Democracy

4

"It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting."

"It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Insults, Opinion

4

"I never yet feared those men who set a place apart in the middle of their cities where they gather to cheat one another and swear oaths which they break."

"I never yet feared those men who set a place apart in the middle of their cities where they gather to cheat one another and swear oaths which they break."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Cities

4

"Among mortals second thoughts are wisest."

"Among mortals second thoughts are wisest."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Thought, Thoughts

4

"Love is a serious mental disease."

"Love is a serious mental disease."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

4

"God does not suffer presumption in anyone but himself."

"God does not suffer presumption in anyone but himself."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

4

"To think well and to consent to obey someone giving good advice are the same thing."

"To think well and to consent to obey someone giving good advice are the same thing."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

4

"Happiness depends upon ourselves."

"Happiness depends upon ourselves."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

4

"To do the same thing over and over again is not only boredom: it is to be controlled by rather than to control what you do."

"To do the same thing over and over again is not only boredom: it is to be controlled by rather than to control what you do."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

4

"Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults."

"Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

Enemy, Enemies, Faults, First

4

"Forgive, son; men are men; they needs must err."

"Forgive, son; men are men; they needs must err."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Man, Men, Son, Needs

4

"When I heard his first songs, Dylan was answering certain questions that I had all my life been asking myself."

"When I heard his first songs, Dylan was answering certain questions that I had all my life been asking myself."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Life, First, Questions, Songs

4

"Blushing is the color of virtue."

"Blushing is the color of virtue."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

4

"Boss, life is trouble. Only death is not. To be alive is to undo your belt and look for trouble."

"Boss, life is trouble. Only death is not. To be alive is to undo your belt and look for trouble."

Michael Cacoyannis, Greek Filmmaker

Death, Life, Boss, Trouble

4

"If virtue promises happiness, prosperity and peace, then progress in virtue is progress in each of these for to whatever point the perfection of anything brings us, progress is always an approach toward it."

"If virtue promises happiness, prosperity and peace, then progress in virtue is progress in each of these for to whatever point the perfection of anything brings us, progress is always an approach toward it."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Happiness, Peace, Progress, Virtue

4

"We are ready to say that we rule the entire Elgin enterprise as irrelevant to the present."

"We are ready to say that we rule the entire Elgin enterprise as irrelevant to the present."

Melina Mercouri, Greek Actress

4

"If thy brother wrongs thee, remember not so much his wrong-doing, but more than ever that he is thy brother."

"If thy brother wrongs thee, remember not so much his wrong-doing, but more than ever that he is thy brother."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Relationship, Brother, Wrong, Wrongs

4

"The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life - knowing that under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live."

"The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life - knowing that under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Courage, Life, Danger, Man

4

"Of all the gods only death does not desire gifts."

"Of all the gods only death does not desire gifts."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Death, Gods, Desire, Gifts

4

"Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains."

"Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains."

Democritus, Greek Philosopher

Pleasure, Moderation

4

"We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified."

"We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified."

Aesop, Greek Author

4

"The words of truth are simple."

"The words of truth are simple."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

4

"It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath."

"It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

4

"Put more trust in nobility of character than in an oath."

"Put more trust in nobility of character than in an oath."

Solon, Greek Statesman

Trust, Character, Nobility

4

"From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate."

"From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Reflection, Hate

4

"The greatest wealth is to live content with little."

"The greatest wealth is to live content with little."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Wealth, Content

4

"One of the most wonderful memories in my life was when I sang at the Opera House in Sydney. I will never forget that. It is one of the most beautiful Houses I have ever sung in my life."

"One of the most wonderful memories in my life was when I sang at the Opera House in Sydney. I will never forget that. It is one of the most beautiful Houses I have ever sung in my life."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Life, Forget, Houses, Memories

4

"We are not interested in cloning the Michael Jordans and the Michael Jacksons of this world. The rich and the famous don't participate in this."

"We are not interested in cloning the Michael Jordans and the Michael Jacksons of this world. The rich and the famous don't participate in this."

Panayiotis Zavos, Greek Scientist

4

"Poor human reason, when it trusts in itself, substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts."

"Poor human reason, when it trusts in itself, substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

4

"Let bravery be thy choice, but not bravado."

"Let bravery be thy choice, but not bravado."

Menander, Greek Poet

Courage, Bravery, Choice

4

bottom of page