Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 11/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing on to you."

"You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing on to you."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

44

"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

44

"Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws, and asks no omen, but his country's cause."

"Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws, and asks no omen, but his country's cause."

Homer, Greek Poet

Cause, Country, Man

44

"One may define flattery as a base companionship which is most advantageous to the flatterer."

"One may define flattery as a base companionship which is most advantageous to the flatterer."

Theophrastus, Greek Philosopher

Flattery, Companionship, May

44

"Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light. Above all things reverence thyself."

"Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light. Above all things reverence thyself."

Pythagoras, Greek Mathematician

44

"I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better."

"I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Change, Friend, Shadow

44

"We ought not to treat living creatures like shoes or household belongings, which when worn with use we throw away."

"We ought not to treat living creatures like shoes or household belongings, which when worn with use we throw away."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

44

"Nature is wont to hide herself."

"Nature is wont to hide herself."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

44

"To persevere, trusting in what hopes he has, is courage in a man."

"To persevere, trusting in what hopes he has, is courage in a man."

Euripides, Greek Poet

44

"How easily some light report is set about, but how difficult to bear."

"How easily some light report is set about, but how difficult to bear."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

44

"I know my own soul, how feeble and puny it is: I know the magnitude of this ministry, and the great difficulty of the work; for more stormy billows vex the soul of the priest than the gales which disturb the sea."

"I know my own soul, how feeble and puny it is: I know the magnitude of this ministry, and the great difficulty of the work; for more stormy billows vex the soul of the priest than the gales which disturb the sea."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

Work, Soul, Difficulty, Sea

44

"If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and depart."

"If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and depart."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Ethics, Fairness, Justice, Observation, Humanity

44

"Everyone's quick to blame the alien."

"Everyone's quick to blame the alien."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

44

"Two urns on Jove's high throne have ever stood, the source of evil one, and one of good; from thence the cup of mortal man he fills, blessings to these, to those distributes ills; to most he mingles both."

"Two urns on Jove's high throne have ever stood, the source of evil one, and one of good; from thence the cup of mortal man he fills, blessings to these, to those distributes ills; to most he mingles both."

Homer, Greek Poet

Fate, Blessings, Evil, Man

44

"Silver and gold are not the only coin; virtue too passes current all over the world."

"Silver and gold are not the only coin; virtue too passes current all over the world."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Virtue, Gold, World

44

"You win the victory when you yield to friends."

"You win the victory when you yield to friends."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Friendship, Victory, Friends, Yield

44

"Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression. No man is free who cannot control himself."

"Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression. No man is free who cannot control himself."

Pythagoras, Greek Mathematician

Action, Control, Concern, Depression

44

"Your lost friends are not dead, but gone before, advanced a stage or two upon that road which you must travel in the steps they trod."

"Your lost friends are not dead, but gone before, advanced a stage or two upon that road which you must travel in the steps they trod."

Aristophanes, Greek Poet

Friendship, Travel, Friends, Road

44

"In making a speech one must study three points: first, the means of producing persuasion; second, the language; third the proper arrangement of the various parts of the speech."

"In making a speech one must study three points: first, the means of producing persuasion; second, the language; third the proper arrangement of the various parts of the speech."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Leadership, First, Language, Persuasion, Speech

44

"For the impious act begets more after it, like to the parent stock."

"For the impious act begets more after it, like to the parent stock."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

44

"Virtue is harmony."

"Virtue is harmony."

Pythagoras, Greek Mathematician

Virtue, Harmony

44

"'Know thyself' is a good saying, but not in all situations. In many it is better to say 'know others.'"

"'Know thyself' is a good saying, but not in all situations. In many it is better to say 'know others.'"

Menander, Greek Poet

44

"For my convalescence, I had to exercise my voice only with vowels. It is a medical rule after a long loss of voice."

"For my convalescence, I had to exercise my voice only with vowels. It is a medical rule after a long loss of voice."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Medical, Exercise, Loss, Voice

44

"The evils of mortals are manifold; nowhere is trouble of the same wing seen."

"The evils of mortals are manifold; nowhere is trouble of the same wing seen."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

44

"A man growing old becomes a child again."

"A man growing old becomes a child again."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

44

"It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows."

"It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

44

"Let him who would move the world first move himself."

"Let him who would move the world first move himself."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Motivation, Action, Influence, Responsibility, Truth

44

"Even a poor man can receive honors."

"Even a poor man can receive honors."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

44

"To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult."

"To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Mistake, Fault, May

43

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

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

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Circumstances

43

"Whoever, fleeing marriage and the sorrows that women cause, does not wish to wed comes to a deadly old age."

"Whoever, fleeing marriage and the sorrows that women cause, does not wish to wed comes to a deadly old age."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Age, Marriage, Women, Cause

43

"An orator without judgment is a horse without a bridle."

"An orator without judgment is a horse without a bridle."

Theophrastus, Greek Philosopher

43

"Men have the power of thinking that they may avoid sin."

"Men have the power of thinking that they may avoid sin."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

Men, Power, May, Sin

43

"Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten."

"Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten."

Aesop, Greek Author

Forgiveness, May

43

"Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved."

"Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

Knowledge, Ignorance

43

"There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep."

"There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep."

Homer, Greek Poet

Time, Sleep, Words

43

"A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth."

"A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth."

Aesop, Greek Author

Trustworthiness, Truth, Will

43

"Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all."

"Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all."

Alexander the Great, Greek Leader

43

"Our sins are more easily remembered than our good deeds."

"Our sins are more easily remembered than our good deeds."

Democritus, Greek Philosopher

43

"He was a wise man who originated the idea of God."

"He was a wise man who originated the idea of God."

Euripides, Greek Poet

43

"How great are the dangers I face to win a good name in Athens."

"How great are the dangers I face to win a good name in Athens."

Alexander the Great, Greek Leader

Inspirational, Athens, Name

43

"Who, except the gods, can live time through forever without any pain?"

"Who, except the gods, can live time through forever without any pain?"

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Time, Gods, Pain

43

"Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort."

"Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Education, Success, Effort, Training

43

"Once I was condemned to three months' absolute silence. As I could not speak, I wrote a book."

"Once I was condemned to three months' absolute silence. As I could not speak, I wrote a book."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Months, Silence

43

"Badness you can get easily, in quantity; the road is smooth, and it lies close by, But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it."

"Badness you can get easily, in quantity; the road is smooth, and it lies close by, But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

God, Gods, Excellence, Lies, Quantity

43

"I know one thing, that I know nothing."

"I know one thing, that I know nothing."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Knowledge, Humility, Truth

43

"Self-will in the man who does not reckon wisely is by itself the weakest of all things."

"Self-will in the man who does not reckon wisely is by itself the weakest of all things."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

43

"England and Greece are friends. English blood was shed on Greek soil in the war against fascism, and Greeks gave their lives to protect English pilots."

"England and Greece are friends. English blood was shed on Greek soil in the war against fascism, and Greeks gave their lives to protect English pilots."

Melina Mercouri, Greek Actress

War, Blood, EnglEnglish, Fascism

43

"For rarely are sons similar to their fathers: most are worse, and a few are better than their fathers."

"For rarely are sons similar to their fathers: most are worse, and a few are better than their fathers."

Homer, Greek Poet

Family, Fathers, Sons

43

"Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes."

"Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

Attention, Enemies, First, Mistakes

43

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