Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 25/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"Hope is a waking dream."

"Hope is a waking dream."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Hope, Dream, Waking

21

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Life, Living, Worth

21

"Neither a life of anarchy nor one beneath a despot should you praise; to all that lies in the middle a god has given excellence."

"Neither a life of anarchy nor one beneath a despot should you praise; to all that lies in the middle a god has given excellence."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Life, God, Anarchy, Excellence

21

"Good habits formed at youth make all the difference."

"Good habits formed at youth make all the difference."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Life, Difference, Habits, Youth

21

"If you seek truth you will not seek victory by dishonorable means, and if you find truth you will become invincible."

"If you seek truth you will not seek victory by dishonorable means, and if you find truth you will become invincible."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Truth, Victory, Will

21

"O dear Pan and all the other gods of this place, grant that I may be beautiful inside. Let all my external possessions be in friendly harmony with what is within. May I consider the wise man rich. As for gold, let me have as much as a moderate man could bear and carry with him."

"O dear Pan and all the other gods of this place, grant that I may be beautiful inside. Let all my external possessions be in friendly harmony with what is within. May I consider the wise man rich. As for gold, let me have as much as a moderate man could bear and carry with him."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Prayer, Beauty, Wealth, Moderation

21

"Always be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle."

"Always be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Kindness, Empathy, Battle, Struggle

21

"The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man."

"The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Life, Balance, Man

21

"A wise man does not chatter with one whose mind is sick."

"A wise man does not chatter with one whose mind is sick."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

21

"For that man is detested by me as the gates of hell whose outward words conceal his inmost thoughts."

"For that man is detested by me as the gates of hell whose outward words conceal his inmost thoughts."

Homer, Greek Poet

Honesty, Deception, Integrity, Truth

21

"Why so much grief for me? No man will hurl me down to Death, against my fate. And fate? No one alive has ever escaped it, neither brave man nor coward, I tell you - it's born with us the day that we are born."

"Why so much grief for me? No man will hurl me down to Death, against my fate. And fate? No one alive has ever escaped it, neither brave man nor coward, I tell you - it's born with us the day that we are born."

Homer, Greek Poet

Fate, Death, Courage, Destiny

21

"Man was not meant for safe harbor."

"Man was not meant for safe harbor."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Adventure, Courage, Exploration, Risk

21

"Verily, great grace may go with a little gift; and precious are all things that come from a friend."

"Verily, great grace may go with a little gift; and precious are all things that come from a friend."

Theocritus, Greek Poet

Friendship, Friend, Grace, May

21

"I salute you as the Gates of Death."

"I salute you as the Gates of Death."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Death, Transition, Mystery, Spiritual

21

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Humanity, Kindness, Empathy, Battle, Struggle

20

"Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant."

"Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Education, Wealth, Sons

20

"Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for."

"Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Time, Men, Gain

20

"Democracy passes into despotism."

"Democracy passes into despotism."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Politics, Democracy

20

"Prosperity is full of friends."

"Prosperity is full of friends."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Friendship, Friends, Prosperity

20

"Among mortals second thoughts are wisest."

"Among mortals second thoughts are wisest."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Thought, Thoughts

20

"Then we got into a labyrinth, and, when we thought we were at the end,came out again at the beginning, having still to see as much as ever."

"Then we got into a labyrinth, and, when we thought we were at the end,came out again at the beginning, having still to see as much as ever."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Life, Confusion, Path, Journey

20

"Neither should we forget the mean, which at the present day is lost sight of in perverted forms of government; for many practices which appear to be democratical are the ruin of democracies, and many which appear to be oligarchical are the ruin of oligarchies. Those who think that all virtue is to be found in their own party principles push matters to extremes; they do not consider that disproportion destroys a state."

"Neither should we forget the mean, which at the present day is lost sight of in perverted forms of government; for many practices which appear to be democratical are the ruin of democracies, and many which appear to be oligarchical are the ruin of oligarchies. Those who think that all virtue is to be found in their own party principles push matters to extremes; they do not consider that disproportion destroys a state."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Politics, Democracy, Virtue, Government, Ruin

20

"There is no sickness worse for me than words that to be kind must lie."

"There is no sickness worse for me than words that to be kind must lie."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Lie, Sickness, Words

20

"How base a thing it is when a man will struggle with necessity! We have to die."

"How base a thing it is when a man will struggle with necessity! We have to die."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Mortality, Necessity, Struggle, Truth

20

"Men are men they needs must err."

"Men are men they needs must err."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Reflection, Error, Mistake, Humanity, Learning

20

"Come then, put away your sword in its sheath, and let us two go up into my bed so that, lying together in the bed of love, we may then have faith and trust in each other."

"Come then, put away your sword in its sheath, and let us two go up into my bed so that, lying together in the bed of love, we may then have faith and trust in each other."

Homer, Greek Poet

Affection, Love, Trust, Desire

20

"The wavering mind is but a base possession."

"The wavering mind is but a base possession."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Mind, Possession

20

"There is no sense in crying over spilt milk. Why bewail what is done and cannot be recalled?"

"There is no sense in crying over spilt milk. Why bewail what is done and cannot be recalled?"

Sophocles, Greek Poet

20

"What a lamentable thing it is that men should blame the gods and regard us as the source of their troubles, when it is their own wickedness that brings them sufferings worse than any which destiny allots them."

"What a lamentable thing it is that men should blame the gods and regard us as the source of their troubles, when it is their own wickedness that brings them sufferings worse than any which destiny allots them."

Homer, Greek Poet

Responsibility, Fate, Blame, Truth

20

"He is not a lover who does not love forever."

"He is not a lover who does not love forever."

Euripides, Greek Poet

20

"Joint undertakings stand a better chance when they benefit both sides."

"Joint undertakings stand a better chance when they benefit both sides."

Euripides, Greek Poet

20

"Dreams surely are difficult, confusing, and not everything in them is brought to pass for mankind. For fleeting dreams have two gates: one is fashioned of horn and one of ivory. Those which pass through the one of sawn ivory are deceptive, bringing tidings which come to nought, but those which issue from the one of polished horn bring true results when a mortal sees them."

"Dreams surely are difficult, confusing, and not everything in them is brought to pass for mankind. For fleeting dreams have two gates: one is fashioned of horn and one of ivory. Those which pass through the one of sawn ivory are deceptive, bringing tidings which come to nought, but those which issue from the one of polished horn bring true results when a mortal sees them."

Homer, Greek Poet

Dreams, Dream, Symbolism, Truth, Deception

20

"But this is a true saying among men: the gifts of enemies are no gifts and profitless."

"But this is a true saying among men: the gifts of enemies are no gifts and profitless."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Enemy, Enemies, Gifts, Saying

20

"Against necessity against its strength no one can fight and win."

"Against necessity against its strength no one can fight and win."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Determinism, Fate, Power, Reality, Survival

20

"I have with me two gods, Persuasion and Compulsion."

"I have with me two gods, Persuasion and Compulsion."

Themistocles, Greek Soldier

God, Gods, Persuasion

20

"Cunning... is but the low mimic of wisdom."

"Cunning... is but the low mimic of wisdom."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Cunning

20

"Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind."

"Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Education, Knowledge, Mind

20

"And by a prudent flight and cunning save A life which valour could not, from the grave. A better buckler I can soon regain, But who can get another life again?"

"And by a prudent flight and cunning save A life which valour could not, from the grave. A better buckler I can soon regain, But who can get another life again?"

Archilochus, Greek Poet

Life, Cunning, Grave

20

"To the man who himself strives earnestly God also lends a helping hand."

"To the man who himself strives earnestly God also lends a helping hand."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Faith, God, Effort, Determination

20

"My heart's a dance of fear."

"My heart's a dance of fear."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Fear, Emotion, Heart, Anxiety

20

"And what so tedious as a twice-told tale."

"And what so tedious as a twice-told tale."

Homer, Greek Poet

Literature, Storytelling, Tradition, Observation

20

"I both love and do not love; and am mad and not mad."

"I both love and do not love; and am mad and not mad."

Anacreon, Greek Poet

20

"It is the wine that leads me on,the wild winethat sets the wisest man to singat the top of his lungs,laugh like a fool " it drives theman to dancing... it eventempts him to blurt out storiesbetter never told."

"It is the wine that leads me on,the wild winethat sets the wisest man to singat the top of his lungs,laugh like a fool " it drives theman to dancing... it eventempts him to blurt out storiesbetter never told."

Homer, Greek Poet

Art, Wine, Music, Joy, Expression

20

"Yea, and if some god shall wreck me in the wine-dark deep,even so I will endure For already have I suffered full much,and much have I toiled in perils of waves and war.Let this be added to the tale of those."

"Yea, and if some god shall wreck me in the wine-dark deep,even so I will endure For already have I suffered full much,and much have I toiled in perils of waves and war.Let this be added to the tale of those."

Homer, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Endurance, Truth, Life, Faith

20

"They deem him their worst enemy who tells them the truth."

"They deem him their worst enemy who tells them the truth."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Honesty, Truth, Enemy, Fear, Judgment

19

"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things."

"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Education, Play, Beauty, Learning

19

"There is just one life for each of us: our own."

"There is just one life for each of us: our own."

Euripides, Greek Poet

19

"If a man would move the world he must first move himself."

"If a man would move the world he must first move himself."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Motivation, Change, Action, Movement, Power

19

"No one is truly free, they are a slave to wealth, fortune, the law, or other people restraining them from acting according to their will."

"No one is truly free, they are a slave to wealth, fortune, the law, or other people restraining them from acting according to their will."

Euripides, Greek Poet

People, Wealth, Acting, Fortune

19

"The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests."

"The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Challenge, Difficulty, Gain, Glory, Reputation

19

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