Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 16/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"Musical innovation is full of danger to the State, for when modes of music change, the fundamental laws of the State always change with them."

"Musical innovation is full of danger to the State, for when modes of music change, the fundamental laws of the State always change with them."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Society, Music, Innovation, Danger, State

38

"The only thing I know is that I know nothing, and i am no quite sure that i know that."

"The only thing I know is that I know nothing, and i am no quite sure that i know that."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Knowledge, Truth, Humility, Observation

38

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love."

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Love, Life, Pain, Weight

38

"If one way be better than another, that you may be sure is nature's way."

"If one way be better than another, that you may be sure is nature's way."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

38

"For this is the mark of a wise and upright man, not to rail against the gods in misfortune."

"For this is the mark of a wise and upright man, not to rail against the gods in misfortune."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

God, Gods, Man, Misfortune

38

"I threw my cup away when I saw a child drinking from his hands at the trough."

"I threw my cup away when I saw a child drinking from his hands at the trough."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

Ethics, Drinking

38

"People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die."

"People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, People, Growth, Help

38

"The art of living well and the art of dying well are one."

"The art of living well and the art of dying well are one."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Art, Dying, Living

37

"In soft regions are born soft men."

"In soft regions are born soft men."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

37

"Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life."

"Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life."

Pythagoras, Greek Mathematician

Life, Friends, Journey, Road

37

"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

37

"Who seeks shall find."

"Who seeks shall find."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Seeking, Persistence, Action, Discovery

37

"He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold."

"He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

37

"The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits."

"The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

People, Benefits

37

"Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts of the gods: men stumble into them themselves because of their own blindness and folly."

"Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts of the gods: men stumble into them themselves because of their own blindness and folly."

Democritus, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, Gods, Blindness, Folly

37

"Medicine to produce health must examine disease; and music, to create harmony must investigate discord."

"Medicine to produce health must examine disease; and music, to create harmony must investigate discord."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Health, Music, Disease, Harmony

37

"Although the dream is a very strange phenomenon and an inexplicable mystery, far more inexplicable is the mystery and aspect our minds confer on certain objects and aspects of life."

"Although the dream is a very strange phenomenon and an inexplicable mystery, far more inexplicable is the mystery and aspect our minds confer on certain objects and aspects of life."

Giorgio de Chirico, Greek Artist

Life, Dream, Inexplicable, Mystery

37

"Now since shame is a mental picture of disgrace, in which we shrink from the disgrace itself and not from its consequences, and we only care what opinion is held of us because of the people who form that opinion, it follows that the people before whom we feel shame are those whose opinion of us matters to us."

"Now since shame is a mental picture of disgrace, in which we shrink from the disgrace itself and not from its consequences, and we only care what opinion is held of us because of the people who form that opinion, it follows that the people before whom we feel shame are those whose opinion of us matters to us."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Reputation, Shame, Disgrace, Opinion, People

37

"Admire a small ship, but put your freight in a large one; for the larger the load, the greater will be the profit upon profit."

"Admire a small ship, but put your freight in a large one; for the larger the load, the greater will be the profit upon profit."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Strategy, Profit, Will

37

"God is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, surfeit and hunger."

"God is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, surfeit and hunger."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

War, Peace, God, Day

37

"It is frequently a misfortune to have very brilliant men in charge of affairs. They expect too much of ordinary men."

"It is frequently a misfortune to have very brilliant men in charge of affairs. They expect too much of ordinary men."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Misfortune

37

"The sun, too, shines into cesspools and is not polluted."

"The sun, too, shines into cesspools and is not polluted."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

Relationship, Sun

37

"False shame accompanies a man that is poor, shame that either harms a man greatly or profits him; shame is with poverty, but confidence with wealth."

"False shame accompanies a man that is poor, shame that either harms a man greatly or profits him; shame is with poverty, but confidence with wealth."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Wealth, Confidence, Man, Poor

37

"Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor."

"Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Time, Measure, Right

37

"The man who melts With social sympathy though not allied Is of more worth than a thousand kinsmen."

"The man who melts With social sympathy though not allied Is of more worth than a thousand kinsmen."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Ethics, Sympathy, Compassion, Values, Wisdom

37

"If we intensify our efforts we can have a cloned baby within a year or two, but I don't know whether we can intensify our efforts to that extent. We're not really under pressure to deliver a cloned baby to this world. What we are under pressure to do is to deliver a cloned baby that is a healthy one."

"If we intensify our efforts we can have a cloned baby within a year or two, but I don't know whether we can intensify our efforts to that extent. We're not really under pressure to deliver a cloned baby to this world. What we are under pressure to do is to deliver a cloned baby that is a healthy one."

Panayiotis Zavos, Greek Scientist

Baby, Pressure, World

37

"If thou suffer injustice, console thyself; the true unhappiness is in doing it."

"If thou suffer injustice, console thyself; the true unhappiness is in doing it."

Democritus, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Injustice, Unhappiness

37

"Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong."

"Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong."

Democritus, Greek Philosopher

37

"Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth."

"Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

37

"The vine bears three kinds of grapes: the first of pleasure, the second of intoxication, the third of disgust."

"The vine bears three kinds of grapes: the first of pleasure, the second of intoxication, the third of disgust."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

Relationship, Disgust, First, Pleasure

37

"Nothing shall I, while sane, compare with a friend."

"Nothing shall I, while sane, compare with a friend."

Homer, Greek Poet

Friendship, Friend, Nothing

37

"You only have to doze a moment, and all is lost. For ruin and salvation both have their source inside you."

"You only have to doze a moment, and all is lost. For ruin and salvation both have their source inside you."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Mindset, Self, Responsibility, Control, Power

37

"The truth is what I cherish and that's my strength."

"The truth is what I cherish and that's my strength."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Morality, Truth, Strength, Values, Principle

37

"Rather I think that a man who ... is willing ... to value learning as long as he lives, not supposing that old age brings him wisdom of itself, will necessarily pay more attention to the rest of his life."

"Rather I think that a man who ... is willing ... to value learning as long as he lives, not supposing that old age brings him wisdom of itself, will necessarily pay more attention to the rest of his life."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Aging, Learning, Education

37

"Wherever magistrates were appointed from among those who complied with the injunctions of the laws, Socrates considered the government to be an aristocracy."

"Wherever magistrates were appointed from among those who complied with the injunctions of the laws, Socrates considered the government to be an aristocracy."

Xenophon, Greek Soldier

Government, Aristocracy, Laws

37

"And what he greatly thought, he nobly dared."

"And what he greatly thought, he nobly dared."

Homer, Greek Poet

37

"You must remember that no one lives a life free from pain and suffering."

"You must remember that no one lives a life free from pain and suffering."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Pain, Life, Truth, Resilience

37

"There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men."

"There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, Justice

37

"A man's character is his guardian divinity."

"A man's character is his guardian divinity."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Character, Divinity, Man

37

"...when he looks at Beauty in the only way that Beauty can be seen - only then will it become possible for him to give birth not to images of virtue (because he's in touch with no images), but to true virtue [arete] (because he is in touch with true Beauty). The love of the gods belongs to anyone who has given to true virtue and nourished it, and if any human being could become immortal, it would be he."

"...when he looks at Beauty in the only way that Beauty can be seen - only then will it become possible for him to give birth not to images of virtue (because he's in touch with no images), but to true virtue [arete] (because he is in touch with true Beauty). The love of the gods belongs to anyone who has given to true virtue and nourished it, and if any human being could become immortal, it would be he."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Beauty, Love, Virtue, Immortality

37

"Noble fathers have noble children."

"Noble fathers have noble children."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Heritage, Nobility, Family, Legacy, Honor

36

"The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it."

"The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Achievement, Difficulty, Glory

36

"Love is simply the name for the desire and the pursuit of the whole."

"Love is simply the name for the desire and the pursuit of the whole."

Aristophanes, Greek Poet

Love, Desire, Name, Pursuit

36

"I am what libraries and librarians have made me, with little assistance from a professor of Greek and poets."

"I am what libraries and librarians have made me, with little assistance from a professor of Greek and poets."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Literature, Libraries, Poets

36

"Whatever is beautiful is beautiful by necessity."

"Whatever is beautiful is beautiful by necessity."

Pindar, Greek Poet

Beauty, Necessity

36

"Whom the gods love dies young."

"Whom the gods love dies young."

Menander, Greek Poet

36

"If God listened to the prayers of men, all men would quickly have perished: for they are forever praying for evil against one another."

"If God listened to the prayers of men, all men would quickly have perished: for they are forever praying for evil against one another."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, God, Evil

36

"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

36

"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

36

"Difficulties are things that show a person what they are."

"Difficulties are things that show a person what they are."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Difficulties

36

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