Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 26/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"You may fetter my leg, but Zeus himself cannot get the better of my free will."

"You may fetter my leg, but Zeus himself cannot get the better of my free will."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Freedom, Power, Choice, Determination, Individual

19

"It is terrible to speak well and be wrong."

"It is terrible to speak well and be wrong."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

19

"The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms."

"The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge

19

"He who hath many friends hath none."

"He who hath many friends hath none."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Friends

19

"Friends show their love in times of trouble."

"Friends show their love in times of trouble."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Friendship, Love, Friends, Trouble

19

"Words are the physicians of a mind diseased."

"Words are the physicians of a mind diseased."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Mind, Physicians, Words

19

"All learning has an emotional base."

"All learning has an emotional base."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Emotion, Education, Knowledge

19

"You may be always victorious if you will never enter into any contest where the issue does not wholly depend upon yourself."

"You may be always victorious if you will never enter into any contest where the issue does not wholly depend upon yourself."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Success, May, Will

19

"So when a man surrenders to the sound of music and lets its sweet, soft, mournful strains, which we have just described, be funnelled into his soul through his ears, and gives up all his time to the glamorous moanings of song, the effect at first on his energy and initiative of mind, if he has any, is to soften it as iron is softened in a furnace, and made workable instead of hard and unworkable: but if he persists and does not break the enchantment, the next stage is that it melts and runs, till the spirit has quite run out of him and his mental sinews (if I may so put it) are cut, and he has become what Homer calls "a feeble fighter"."

"So when a man surrenders to the sound of music and lets its sweet, soft, mournful strains, which we have just described, be funnelled into his soul through his ears, and gives up all his time to the glamorous moanings of song, the effect at first on his energy and initiative of mind, if he has any, is to soften it as iron is softened in a furnace, and made workable instead of hard and unworkable: but if he persists and does not break the enchantment, the next stage is that it melts and runs, till the spirit has quite run out of him and his mental sinews (if I may so put it) are cut, and he has become what Homer calls "a feeble fighter"."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Music, Life, Soul, Weakness

19

"How many things there are which I do not want."

"How many things there are which I do not want."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Desire, Life, Limitation, Reflection

19

"Wealth ... and poverty: the one is the parent of luxury and indolence and the other of meanness and vicious-ness and both of discontent."

"Wealth ... and poverty: the one is the parent of luxury and indolence and the other of meanness and vicious-ness and both of discontent."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Economy, Wealth, Poverty, Discontent, Corruption

19

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Education, Mind, Heart, Teaching

19

"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

19

"It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death."

"It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Courage, Death, Fear, Pain

19

"Education is the best provision for old age."

"Education is the best provision for old age."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Education, Age, Old

19

"Is it true; is it kind, or is it necessary?"

"Is it true; is it kind, or is it necessary?"

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Truth, Kindness, Necessity, Morality

19

"Happiness seems to depend on leisure, because we work to have leisure, and wage war to live in peace."

"Happiness seems to depend on leisure, because we work to have leisure, and wage war to live in peace."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Happiness, Leisure, Peace, Work

19

"There is also a third kind of madness, which is possession by the Muses, enters into a delicate and virgin soul, and there inspiring frenzy, awakens lyric....But he, who, not being inspired and having no touch of madness in his soul, comes to the door and thinks he will get into the temple by the help of art--he, I say, and his poetry are not admitted; the sane man is nowhere at all when he enters into rivalry with the madman."

"There is also a third kind of madness, which is possession by the Muses, enters into a delicate and virgin soul, and there inspiring frenzy, awakens lyric....But he, who, not being inspired and having no touch of madness in his soul, comes to the door and thinks he will get into the temple by the help of art--he, I say, and his poetry are not admitted; the sane man is nowhere at all when he enters into rivalry with the madman."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Inspirational, Madness, Poetry, Art

19

"One does nothing who tries to console a despondent person with word. A friend is one who aids with deeds at a critical time when deeds are called for."

"One does nothing who tries to console a despondent person with word. A friend is one who aids with deeds at a critical time when deeds are called for."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Friendship, Time, Friend, Deeds, Nothing

19

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

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

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Wealth, Content

19

"When one with honeyed words but evil mindPersuades the mob, great woes befall the state."

"When one with honeyed words but evil mindPersuades the mob, great woes befall the state."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Society, Influence, Power, Deception, Politics

19

"To live without evil belongs only to the gods."

"To live without evil belongs only to the gods."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

God, Gods, Evil

19

"Reason is God's crowning gift to man."

"Reason is God's crowning gift to man."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

God, Man, Reason

19

"The good and wise lead quite lives."

"The good and wise lead quite lives."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Leadership, Wisdom, Goodness, Guidance

19

"Bring your desires down to your present means. Increase them only when your increased means permit."

"Bring your desires down to your present means. Increase them only when your increased means permit."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Present

19

"Silence is an ornament for women."

"Silence is an ornament for women."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Woman, Women, Silence

19

"Like that star of the waning summer who beyond all stars rises bathed in the ocean stream to glitter in brilliance."

"Like that star of the waning summer who beyond all stars rises bathed in the ocean stream to glitter in brilliance."

Homer, Greek Poet

Beauty, Truth, Happiness, Observation

19

"What I say will be a bit of boasting. The mad wine tells me to do it. Wine sets even a thoughtful man to singing, or sets him into softly laughing, sets him to dancing. Sometimes it tosses out a word that was better unspoken."

"What I say will be a bit of boasting. The mad wine tells me to do it. Wine sets even a thoughtful man to singing, or sets him into softly laughing, sets him to dancing. Sometimes it tosses out a word that was better unspoken."

Homer, Greek Poet

Creativity, Music, Emotion, Joy

19

"He who steals a little steals with the same wish as he who steals much, but with less power."

"He who steals a little steals with the same wish as he who steals much, but with less power."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, Power

19

"When strong, be merciful, if you would have the respect, not the fear of your neighbors."

"When strong, be merciful, if you would have the respect, not the fear of your neighbors."

Chilon, Greek Poet

Fear, Neighbors, Respect

19

"Hope is the dream of a waking man."

"Hope is the dream of a waking man."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Hope, Dream, Man, Waking

19

"Wisdom comes through suffering.Trouble, with its memories of pain,Drips in our hearts as we try to sleep,So men against their willLearn to practice moderation.Favours come to us from gods."

"Wisdom comes through suffering.Trouble, with its memories of pain,Drips in our hearts as we try to sleep,So men against their willLearn to practice moderation.Favours come to us from gods."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Memory, Wisdom, Suffering, Emotion, Life

19

"Ask the gods nothing excessive."

"Ask the gods nothing excessive."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Growth, Humility, Limit, Wisdom, Respect

19

"The nature of God is a circle of which the center is everywhere and the circumference is nowhere."

"The nature of God is a circle of which the center is everywhere and the circumference is nowhere."

Empedocles, Greek Philosopher

19

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Courage, Enemy, Man, Post

18

"My friend...care for your psyche...know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves."

"My friend...care for your psyche...know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Self-Help, Self, Knowledge, Truth, Wellness

18

"The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor; it is the one thing that cannot be learnt from others; and it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in the dissimilar."

"The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor; it is the one thing that cannot be learnt from others; and it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in the dissimilar."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Creativity, Metaphor, Art, Genius, Perception

18

"To him who is in fear everything rustles."

"To him who is in fear everything rustles."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

18

"Better a little which is well done, than a great deal imperfectly."

"Better a little which is well done, than a great deal imperfectly."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Work, Effort, Quality, Perfection

18

"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

18

"Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness."

"Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Happiness, Wisdom

18

"Know thyself."

"Know thyself."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Self, Knowledge, Awareness

18

"I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance."

"I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Ignorance, Fact, Nothing

18

"Events will take their course, it is no good of being angry at them; he is happiest who wisely turns them to the best account."

"Events will take their course, it is no good of being angry at them; he is happiest who wisely turns them to the best account."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Being, Events, Will

18

"Why should a man fear since chance is all in all for him and he can clearly fore-know nothing? Best to live lightly as one can unthinking."

"Why should a man fear since chance is all in all for him and he can clearly fore-know nothing? Best to live lightly as one can unthinking."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Fate, Chance, Acceptance, Life

18

"The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing."

"The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Man, Opinion

18

"Either we shall find what it is we are seeking or at least we shall free ourselves from the persuasion that we know what we do not know."

"Either we shall find what it is we are seeking or at least we shall free ourselves from the persuasion that we know what we do not know."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Seeking, Knowledge, Freedom, Truth

18

"The perfect state is one where men weep and rejoice over the same things."

"The perfect state is one where men weep and rejoice over the same things."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Unity, Emotion, Society, Idealism

18

"For poetry there exists neither large countries nor small. Its domain is in the heart of all men."

"For poetry there exists neither large countries nor small. Its domain is in the heart of all men."

Giorgos Seferis, Greek Poet

Man, Men, Poetry, Heart, Countries

18

"Better a humble heart, a lowly life. Untouched by greatness let me live - and live. Not too little, not too much: there safety lies."

"Better a humble heart, a lowly life. Untouched by greatness let me live - and live. Not too little, not too much: there safety lies."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Humility, Life, Simplicity, Peace

18

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