Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 27/38

top of page

Quotes by Greek Authors

"Hardly any human being is capable of pursuing two professions or two arts rightly."

"Hardly any human being is capable of pursuing two professions or two arts rightly."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

5

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

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

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Wealth, Content

5

"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

5

"Don't ask who's influenced me. A lion is made up of the lambs he's digested, and I've been reading all my life."

"Don't ask who's influenced me. A lion is made up of the lambs he's digested, and I've been reading all my life."

Giorgos Seferis, Greek Poet

5

"There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands."

"There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Power, End, Humanity, Kings

5

"Virtue does not spring from riches, but riches and all other human blessings, both private and public, from virtue."

"Virtue does not spring from riches, but riches and all other human blessings, both private and public, from virtue."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Virtue, Riches, Morality, Values

5

"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."

"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Art, Appearance

5

"Leave no stone unturned."

"Leave no stone unturned."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Life, Effort, Determination, Persistence, Advice

5

"The wavering mind is but a base possession."

"The wavering mind is but a base possession."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Mind, Possession

5

"Man - a being in search of meaning."

"Man - a being in search of meaning."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Being, Man, Meaning

5

"Wealth is evidently not the good we are seeking, for it is merely useful and for the sake of something else."

"Wealth is evidently not the good we are seeking, for it is merely useful and for the sake of something else."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Virtue, Wealth, Desire, Purpose, Philosophy

5

"The spiritual eyesight improves as the physical eyesight declines."

"The spiritual eyesight improves as the physical eyesight declines."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Vision, Spiritual, Clarity, Decline

5

"He who throws away a friend is as bad as he who throws away his life."

"He who throws away a friend is as bad as he who throws away his life."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Friendship, Life, Friend

5

"The soul that has conceived one wickedness can nurse no good thereafter."

"The soul that has conceived one wickedness can nurse no good thereafter."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Soul, Morality, Behavior, Observation

5

"Time crumbles things everything grows old under the power of Time and is forgotten through the lapse of Time."

"Time crumbles things everything grows old under the power of Time and is forgotten through the lapse of Time."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Time, Decay, Aging, Power

5

"Hate is a bottomless cup, I will pour and pour."

"Hate is a bottomless cup, I will pour and pour."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Psychology, Hate, Emotion, Destruction, Choice

5

"The man is happiest who lives from day to day and asks no more, garnering the simple goodness of life."

"The man is happiest who lives from day to day and asks no more, garnering the simple goodness of life."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Life, Happiness, Contentment, Gratitude, Simplicity

5

"The good and wise lead quite lives."

"The good and wise lead quite lives."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Leadership, Wisdom, Goodness, Guidance

5

"Justice is useful when money is useless."

"Justice is useful when money is useless."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Money, Law, Values

5

"Time is the moving image of eternity."

"Time is the moving image of eternity."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Time, Eternity, Image, Movement

5

"Happiness is an expression of the soul in considered actions."

"Happiness is an expression of the soul in considered actions."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Happiness, Soul, Action, Expression

5

"This also is a part of the Church's teaching, that the world was made and took its beginning at a certain time, and is to be destroyed on account of its wickedness."

"This also is a part of the Church's teaching, that the world was made and took its beginning at a certain time, and is to be destroyed on account of its wickedness."

Origen, Greek Theologian

Time, Church, Beginning, Teaching

5

"Misfortune shows those who are not really friends."

"Misfortune shows those who are not really friends."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Friends, Misfortune

5

"It is right to give every man his due."

"It is right to give every man his due."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Man, Right

5

"Knowledge is true opinion."

"Knowledge is true opinion."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Education, Knowledge, Opinion

5

"Hope is the dream of a waking man."

"Hope is the dream of a waking man."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Hope, Dream, Man, Waking

5

"The eyes of the soul of the multitudes are unable to endure the vision of the divine."

"The eyes of the soul of the multitudes are unable to endure the vision of the divine."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Spiritual, Soul, Vision, Eyes

5

"If particulars are to have meaning, there must be universals."

"If particulars are to have meaning, there must be universals."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Meaning

5

"Why thrust your kid into that? You try to protect them from all the bad people out there."

"Why thrust your kid into that? You try to protect them from all the bad people out there."

John Aniston, Greek Actor

5

"There is no harm in repeating a good thing."

"There is no harm in repeating a good thing."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Inspirational, Harm

5

"We maintain, therefore, that the first essential, the life and soul, so to speak, of Tragedy is the Plot; and that the Characters come second-compare the parallel in painting, where the most beautiful colours laid on without order will not give one the same pleasure as a simple black-and-white sketch of a portrait."

"We maintain, therefore, that the first essential, the life and soul, so to speak, of Tragedy is the Plot; and that the Characters come second-compare the parallel in painting, where the most beautiful colours laid on without order will not give one the same pleasure as a simple black-and-white sketch of a portrait."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Art, Tragedy, Life, Plot

5

"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

5

"Kindness gives birth to kindness."

"Kindness gives birth to kindness."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Kindness, Generosity, Humanity, Action

4

"God's most lordly gift to man is decency of mind."

"God's most lordly gift to man is decency of mind."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

God, Decency, Man, Mind

4

"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

4

"Know one knows whether death, which people fear to be the greatest evil, may not be the greatest good."

"Know one knows whether death, which people fear to be the greatest evil, may not be the greatest good."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Death, People, Fear, Evil

4

"Which would you choose if you could:pleasure for yourself despite your friendsor a share in their grief?"

"Which would you choose if you could:pleasure for yourself despite your friendsor a share in their grief?"

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Ethics, Empathy, Choice, Morality, Decision

4

"Wealth is well known to be a great comforter."

"Wealth is well known to be a great comforter."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

4

"Life must be lived as play."

"Life must be lived as play."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

4

"I would fain grow old learning many things."

"I would fain grow old learning many things."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Learning, Old

4

"As the builders say, the larger stones do not lie well without the lesser."

"As the builders say, the larger stones do not lie well without the lesser."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

4

"Quick decisions are unsafe decisions."

"Quick decisions are unsafe decisions."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Decision-Making, Decisions, Quick

4

"All men are by nature equal, made all of the same earth by one Workman; and however we deceive ourselves, as dear unto God is the poor peasant as the mighty prince."

"All men are by nature equal, made all of the same earth by one Workman; and however we deceive ourselves, as dear unto God is the poor peasant as the mighty prince."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Nature, Men, God, Earth

4

"I would prefer as a friend a good man who is ignorant than one more clever who is evil too."

"I would prefer as a friend a good man who is ignorant than one more clever who is evil too."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Relationship, Friendship, Character, Morality, Choice

4

"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

4

"Ideas are the source of all things."

"Ideas are the source of all things."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Ideas, Idea, Life, Creation, Power

4

"Learning is not child's play, we cannot learn without pain."

"Learning is not child's play, we cannot learn without pain."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Pain, Play, Knowledge

4

"Alas! How sad when reasoners reason wrong."

"Alas! How sad when reasoners reason wrong."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Reason, Error, Observation, Truth

4

"For though we love both the truth and our friends, piety requires us to honor the truth first."

"For though we love both the truth and our friends, piety requires us to honor the truth first."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Love, Truth, First, Friends

4

"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

4

bottom of page