Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 12/40

top of page

Quotes by Greek Authors

"To amuse oneself in order that one may exert oneself, as Anacharsis puts it, seems right; for amusement is a sort of relaxation, and we need relaxation because we cannot work continuously."

"To amuse oneself in order that one may exert oneself, as Anacharsis puts it, seems right; for amusement is a sort of relaxation, and we need relaxation because we cannot work continuously."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Balance, Relaxation, Work, Amusement

43

"Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and choice, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim."

"Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and choice, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Art, Thought, Action, Choice

43

"No one would choose a friendless existence on condition of having all the other things in the world."

"No one would choose a friendless existence on condition of having all the other things in the world."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Existence, World

43

"Soon all of you immortalsWill be as dead as we are! Come on then, what are you waiting for?Have you run out of thunderbolts?"

"Soon all of you immortalsWill be as dead as we are! Come on then, what are you waiting for?Have you run out of thunderbolts?"

Euripides, Greek Poet

Adventure, Immortality, Conflict, Power, Determination

43

"The philosopher's school, ye men, is a surgery: you ought not to go out of it with pleasure, but with pain. For you are not in sound health when you enter."

"The philosopher's school, ye men, is a surgery: you ought not to go out of it with pleasure, but with pain. For you are not in sound health when you enter."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Pain, Truth, Health

43

"To do nothing is also a good remedy."

"To do nothing is also a good remedy."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

43

"Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly."

"Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Listening, Profit, Talk, Will

43

"Every king springs from a race of slaves, and every slave had kings among his ancestors."

"Every king springs from a race of slaves, and every slave had kings among his ancestors."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Legacy, History, Slavery, Royalty, Ancestry

43

"Characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner."

"Characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner."

Aristophanes, Greek Poet

Politics, Breeding, Popular, Voice

42

"For to err in opinion, though it be not the part of wise men, is at least human."

"For to err in opinion, though it be not the part of wise men, is at least human."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, Opinion

42

"How vain, without the merit, is the name."

"How vain, without the merit, is the name."

Homer, Greek Poet

42

"My energy to sing, I get it from my singing. Singing was not a reason to make a living. This is the only thing I wanted to do."

"My energy to sing, I get it from my singing. Singing was not a reason to make a living. This is the only thing I wanted to do."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Energy, Living, Reason, Singing

42

"Hide our ignorance as we will, an evening of wine soon reveals it."

"Hide our ignorance as we will, an evening of wine soon reveals it."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Ignorance, Evening, Will, Wine

42

"Have you ever sensed that our soul is immortal and never dies?"

"Have you ever sensed that our soul is immortal and never dies?"

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Metaphysics, Soul, Immortality, Belief, Afterlife

42

"Sublimity is the echo of great mind."

"Sublimity is the echo of great mind."

Longinus, Greek Critic

42

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

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

Herodotus, Greek Historian

42

"Excellent things are rare."

"Excellent things are rare."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Distinction, Rarity, Excellence, Values, Quality

42

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil."

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Unity, Soul, Evil, Words

42

"There are times when fear is good. It must keep its watchful place at the heart's controls."

"There are times when fear is good. It must keep its watchful place at the heart's controls."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

42

"For it is owing to their wonder that men both now begin and at first began to philosophize."

"For it is owing to their wonder that men both now begin and at first began to philosophize."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Inquiry, Philosophy, Wonder, Knowledge, Curiosity

42

"Culture makes all men gentle."

"Culture makes all men gentle."

Menander, Greek Poet

Man, Men, Culture

42

"When a woman removes her garment, she also removes the respect that is hers."

"When a woman removes her garment, she also removes the respect that is hers."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

42

"When I look upon seamen, men of science and philosophers, man is the wisest of all beings; when I look upon priests and prophets nothing is as contemptible as man."

"When I look upon seamen, men of science and philosophers, man is the wisest of all beings; when I look upon priests and prophets nothing is as contemptible as man."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, Science, Nothing

42

"Are you not ashamed of caring so much for the making of money and for fame and prestige, when you neither think nor care about wisdom and truth and the improvement of your soul?"

"Are you not ashamed of caring so much for the making of money and for fame and prestige, when you neither think nor care about wisdom and truth and the improvement of your soul?"

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Money, Wisdom, Truth, Self

42

"Listen closely as those around you speak; great truths are revealed in jest."

"Listen closely as those around you speak; great truths are revealed in jest."

Javan, Greek Celebrity

42

"As for me all I know is that I know nothing."

"As for me all I know is that I know nothing."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Knowledge, Humility, Truth, Wisdom

42

"We Greeks are lovers of the beautiful, yet simple in our tastes, and we cultivate the mind without loss of manliness."

"We Greeks are lovers of the beautiful, yet simple in our tastes, and we cultivate the mind without loss of manliness."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

Loss, Lovers, Mind

42

"Mourn for me rather as living than as dead."

"Mourn for me rather as living than as dead."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

42

"There is nothing more foolish, nothing more given to outrage than a useless mob."

"There is nothing more foolish, nothing more given to outrage than a useless mob."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Society, Mob, Nothing

42

"And where there is ignorance, there is also want of learning and instruction in essentials."

"And where there is ignorance, there is also want of learning and instruction in essentials."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Knowledge, Ignorance, Learning, Growth

42

"To die is a debt we must all of us discharge."

"To die is a debt we must all of us discharge."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Life, Death, Obligation, Philosophy

42

"I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free."

"I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free."

Nikos Kazantzakis, Greek Writer

Fear, Hope, Nothing

42

"The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves."

"The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves."

Demosthenes, Greek Statesman

Politics, Censure

42

"As a man, casting off worn out garments taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, entereth into ones that are new."

"As a man, casting off worn out garments taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, entereth into ones that are new."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Renewal, Life, Truth, Change

42

"Isn't it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?"

"Isn't it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?"

Sophocles, Greek Poet

42

"Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire."

"Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Freedom, Desire, Enjoyment

42

"No great thing is created suddenly."

"No great thing is created suddenly."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Creativity, Creation, Patience, Persistence, Success

42

"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants."

"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Wealth, Possessions

42

"The best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake."

"The best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Friend, Man, Wishes, Wishing

42

"It is folly for a man to pray to the gods for that which he has the power to obtain by himself."

"It is folly for a man to pray to the gods for that which he has the power to obtain by himself."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Power, Gods, Folly, Man

42

"For somehow this disease inheres in tyranny, never to trust one's friends."

"For somehow this disease inheres in tyranny, never to trust one's friends."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Friendship, Trust, Disease, Friends, Tyranny

42

"Between friends there is no need of justice."

"Between friends there is no need of justice."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Justice, Trust, Loyalty

42

"If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it."

"If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Being, Fun, Man, Relaxation

42

"Of all men's miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing."

"Of all men's miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Control, Nothing

42

"Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit."

"Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Work, Quick, Wishing

42

"Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers."

"Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Family, Children, Behavior, Observation, Truth

42

"The sun is new each day."

"The sun is new each day."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Renewal, Day, Sun

42

"Force has no place where there is need of skill."

"Force has no place where there is need of skill."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

42

"Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul."

"Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul."

Democritus, Greek Philosopher

Happiness, Soul, Gold, Possessions

41

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, War, End

41

bottom of page