Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 28/38

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"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

"Not to be born is, past all prizing, best."

"Not to be born is, past all prizing, best."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

4

"The reason is that they utter these words of theirs not by virtue of a skill, but by a divine power - otherwise, if they knew how to speak well on one topic thanks to a skill, they would know how to speak about every other topic too."

"The reason is that they utter these words of theirs not by virtue of a skill, but by a divine power - otherwise, if they knew how to speak well on one topic thanks to a skill, they would know how to speak about every other topic too."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Knowledge, Word, Skill, Divine, Power

4

"Whom Jupiter would destroy he first drives mad."

"Whom Jupiter would destroy he first drives mad."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Madness, Fate, Destruction, Warning

4

"It is no easy thing for a principle to become a man's own unless each day he maintains it and works it out in his life."

"It is no easy thing for a principle to become a man's own unless each day he maintains it and works it out in his life."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Ethics, Principle, Discipline, Practice, Consistency

4

"A day lays low and lifts up again all human things."

"A day lays low and lifts up again all human things."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

4

"It is a painful thing to look at your own trouble and know that you yourself and no one else has made it."

"It is a painful thing to look at your own trouble and know that you yourself and no one else has made it."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Life, Responsibility, Suffering, Self, Awareness

4

"Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public."

"Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Leadership, Character, Example, Personality, Public

4

"Time as he grows old teaches all things."

"Time as he grows old teaches all things."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

4

"And what, Socrates, is the food of the soul? Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of the soul."

"And what, Socrates, is the food of the soul? Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of the soul."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Food, Soul, Knowledge

4

"God is one, greatest of gods and men, not like mortals in body or thought."

"God is one, greatest of gods and men, not like mortals in body or thought."

Xenophanes, Greek Philosopher

God, Men, Thought, Gods

4

"Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge."

"Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Knowledge, Behavior, Desire, Emotion

4

"Comedy aims at representing men as worse, Tragedy as better than in actual life."

"Comedy aims at representing men as worse, Tragedy as better than in actual life."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Art, Comedy, Tragedy, Representation, Life

4

"Only when a man's life comes to its end in prosperity dare we pronounce him happy."

"Only when a man's life comes to its end in prosperity dare we pronounce him happy."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Life, End, Man, Prosperity

4

"God's dice always have a lucky roll."

"God's dice always have a lucky roll."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

4

"Foolishness is indeed the sister of wickedness."

"Foolishness is indeed the sister of wickedness."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Family, Sister, Foolishness, Wickedness

4

"In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend."

"In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Friendship, Trust, Heart, Friend, Poison

4

"Thinking: the talking of the soul with itself."

"Thinking: the talking of the soul with itself."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Soul, Talking

4

"I shall assume that your silence gives consent."

"I shall assume that your silence gives consent."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

4

"There's nothing in the world so demoralizing as money."

"There's nothing in the world so demoralizing as money."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Society, Money, Corruption, Reality, Power

4

"Haven't you noticed that opinion without knowledge is always a poor thing? At the best it is blind-isn't anyone who holds a true opinion without understanding like a blind man on the right road?"

"Haven't you noticed that opinion without knowledge is always a poor thing? At the best it is blind-isn't anyone who holds a true opinion without understanding like a blind man on the right road?"

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Opinion, Knowledge, Blind, Truth

4

"The community which has neither poverty nor riches will always have the noblest principles."

"The community which has neither poverty nor riches will always have the noblest principles."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Life, Community, Poverty, Principles, Will

4

"Our happiness depends on wisdom all the way."

"Our happiness depends on wisdom all the way."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Happiness, Wisdom

4

"Men should pledge themselves to nothing; for reflection makes a liar of their resolution."

"Men should pledge themselves to nothing; for reflection makes a liar of their resolution."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Man, Men, Nothing, Reflection, Resolution

4

"There is no such thing as a lovers' oath."

"There is no such thing as a lovers' oath."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Relationship, Lovers

4

"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

4

"One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession."

"One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Friendship, Friend, Kindness, Possession, Will

4

"Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers."

"Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Democracy, Men, Property

4

"In a just cause the weak will beat the strong."

"In a just cause the weak will beat the strong."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

4

"Man is not constituted to take pleasure in the same things always."

"Man is not constituted to take pleasure in the same things always."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

4

"Come back. Even as a shadow, even as a dream."

"Come back. Even as a shadow, even as a dream."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Emotions, Hope, Memory, Dream, Love

4

"One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been."

"One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Patience, Time, Observation, Life

4

"That which is in locomotion must arrive at the half-way stage before it arrives at the goal."

"That which is in locomotion must arrive at the half-way stage before it arrives at the goal."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Progress, Motion, Goal, Life

4

"Courage is a kind of salvation."

"Courage is a kind of salvation."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Courage, Salvation

4

"There is no disgrace in an enemy suffering ill at an enemy's hand, when you hate mutually."

"There is no disgrace in an enemy suffering ill at an enemy's hand, when you hate mutually."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Conflict, Disgrace, Enemy, Hate, Suffering

4

"Search well and be wise, nor believe that self-willed pride will ever be better than good counsel."

"Search well and be wise, nor believe that self-willed pride will ever be better than good counsel."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Wisdom, Pride, Self, Will

4

"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

4

"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

4

"A short saying often contains much wisdom."

"A short saying often contains much wisdom."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

4

"In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels."

"In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Relationship, Affection, Woman

4

"Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it."

"Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Man, Men, Judgment, Lies

4

"Now to exert oneself and work for the sake of amusement seems silly and utterly childish. But 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. Relaxation, then, is not an end; for it is taken for the sake of activity."

"Now to exert oneself and work for the sake of amusement seems silly and utterly childish. But 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. Relaxation, then, is not an end; for it is taken for the sake of activity."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Work, Leisure, Balance, Activity

4

"God has many names though He is only one Being."

"God has many names though He is only one Being."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

God, Divinity, Oneness, Faith

4

"Homer has taught all other poets the art of telling lies skillfully."

"Homer has taught all other poets the art of telling lies skillfully."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Writing, Art, Lies, Poets

4

"Thou wouldst make a good monarch of a desert."

"Thou wouldst make a good monarch of a desert."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Leadership, Power, Strategy, Observation

4

"To an old father, nothing is more sweet than a daughter. Boys are more spirited, but their ways are not so tender."

"To an old father, nothing is more sweet than a daughter. Boys are more spirited, but their ways are not so tender."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Family, Father, Daughter, Love

4

"The oaths of a woman I inscribe on water."

"The oaths of a woman I inscribe on water."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

4

"You take the words in the sense which is most damaging to the argument."

"You take the words in the sense which is most damaging to the argument."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Argument, Word, Meaning, Interpretation

4

"All the gold which is under or upon the earth is not enough to give in exchange for virtue."

"All the gold which is under or upon the earth is not enough to give in exchange for virtue."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Virtue, Earth, Gold

4

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