Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 29/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"Happy is he who has gained the wealth of divine thoughts, wretched is he whose beliefs about the gods are dark."

"Happy is he who has gained the wealth of divine thoughts, wretched is he whose beliefs about the gods are dark."

Empedocles, Greek Philosopher

God, Gods, Thoughts, Wealth, Beliefs

16

"Everything that deceives may be said to enchant."

"Everything that deceives may be said to enchant."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Illusion, Deception, Perception, Magic

16

"The moving light, rejoicing in its strength, Sped from the pyre of pine, and urged its way, In golden glory, like some strange new sun."

"The moving light, rejoicing in its strength, Sped from the pyre of pine, and urged its way, In golden glory, like some strange new sun."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Light, Strength, Fire, Glory

16

"A great book is like great evil."

"A great book is like great evil."

Callimachus, Greek Poet

16

"Question me now about all other matters, but do not ask who I am, for fear you may increase in my heart it's burden of sorrow as I think back; I am very full of grief, and I should not sit in the house of somebody else with my lamentation and wailing. It is not good to go on mourning forever."

"Question me now about all other matters, but do not ask who I am, for fear you may increase in my heart it's burden of sorrow as I think back; I am very full of grief, and I should not sit in the house of somebody else with my lamentation and wailing. It is not good to go on mourning forever."

Homer, Greek Poet

Grief, Sorrow, Mourning, Reflection

16

"All is change all yields its place and goes."

"All is change all yields its place and goes."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Change, Life, Flow, Acceptance

15

"The gods granted us misery, in jealousy over the thought that we two, always together, should enjoy our youth, and then come to the threshold of old age."

"The gods granted us misery, in jealousy over the thought that we two, always together, should enjoy our youth, and then come to the threshold of old age."

Homer, Greek Poet

Relationship, Love, Jealousy, Life, Truth

15

"There is no great genius without a mixture of madness."

"There is no great genius without a mixture of madness."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Genius, Madness

15

"Quick decisions are unsafe decisions."

"Quick decisions are unsafe decisions."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Decision-Making, Decisions, Quick

15

"If you have done terrible things, you must endure terrible things; for thus the sacred light of injustice shines bright."

"If you have done terrible things, you must endure terrible things; for thus the sacred light of injustice shines bright."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Forgiveness, Injustice, Light

15

"Living well and beautifully and justly are all one thing."

"Living well and beautifully and justly are all one thing."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Beauty, Justice, Life, Well-Being

15

"It is a good thing to be rich it is a good thing to be strong but it is a better thing to be beloved of many friends."

"It is a good thing to be rich it is a good thing to be strong but it is a better thing to be beloved of many friends."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Social, Friendship, Wealth, Love, Values

15

"The best is to do injustice without paying the penalty, the worst is to suffer it without being able to take revenge. Justice is a mean between these two extremes. People value it not because it is a good but because they are too weak to do injustice with impunity."

"The best is to do injustice without paying the penalty, the worst is to suffer it without being able to take revenge. Justice is a mean between these two extremes. People value it not because it is a good but because they are too weak to do injustice with impunity."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Revenge, Weakness, People

15

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Thought, Mind

15

"It's human, we all put self interest first."

"It's human, we all put self interest first."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Psychology, Behavior, Behavior, Truth, Observation

15

"Things gained through unjust fraud are never secure."

"Things gained through unjust fraud are never secure."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

15

"A councillor ought not to sleep the whole night through - a man to whom the populace is entrusted and who has many responsibilities."

"A councillor ought not to sleep the whole night through - a man to whom the populace is entrusted and who has many responsibilities."

Homer, Greek Poet

Duty, Responsibility, Leadership, Vigilance

15

"Why do you want to read anyway " for the sake of amusement or mere erudition? Those are poor, fatuous pretexts. Reading should serve the goal of attaining peace; if it doesn't make you peaceful, what good is it?"

"Why do you want to read anyway " for the sake of amusement or mere erudition? Those are poor, fatuous pretexts. Reading should serve the goal of attaining peace; if it doesn't make you peaceful, what good is it?"

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Reading, Knowledge, Peace

15

"Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety."

"Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Attitude, Men, Anxiety, Nothing

15

"Many are the birds who under the sun's rays wander the sky, not all of them mean anything."

"Many are the birds who under the sun's rays wander the sky, not all of them mean anything."

Homer, Greek Poet

Observation, Truth, Wisdom, Happiness

15

"We are twice armed if we fight with faith."

"We are twice armed if we fight with faith."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

15

"And yet even in reaching for the beautiful there is beauty, and also in suffering whatever it is that one suffers en route."

"And yet even in reaching for the beautiful there is beauty, and also in suffering whatever it is that one suffers en route."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Beauty, Suffering, Path, Journey

15

"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

15

"Ah, lives of men! When prosperous they glitter - Like a fair picture; when misfortune comes - A wet sponge at one blow has blurred the painting."

"Ah, lives of men! When prosperous they glitter - Like a fair picture; when misfortune comes - A wet sponge at one blow has blurred the painting."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Change, Misfortune, Painting

15

"Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly."

"Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, Silence

15

"Practice yourself in little things and thence proceed to greater."

"Practice yourself in little things and thence proceed to greater."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Growth, Practice, Discipline, Improvement

15

"...happiness does not consist in amusement. In fact, it would be strange if our end were amusement, and if we were to labor and suffer hardships all our life long merely to amuse ourselves.... The happy life is regarded as a life in conformity with virtue. It is a life which involves effort and is not spent in amusement."

"...happiness does not consist in amusement. In fact, it would be strange if our end were amusement, and if we were to labor and suffer hardships all our life long merely to amuse ourselves.... The happy life is regarded as a life in conformity with virtue. It is a life which involves effort and is not spent in amusement."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Fulfillment, Happiness, Virtue, Life, Amusement

15

"Those swift to think are not always secure."

"Those swift to think are not always secure."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Caution, Thought, Speed, Judgment, Awareness

15

"OEDIPUS: Upon the murderer I invoke this curse-whether he is one man and all unknown, or one of many- may he wear out his life in misery to miserable doom! If with my knowledge he lives at my hearthI pray that I myself may feel my curse. On you I lay my charge to fulfill all this for me, for the God, and for this land of ours destroyed and blighted, by the God forsaken."

"OEDIPUS: Upon the murderer I invoke this curse-whether he is one man and all unknown, or one of many- may he wear out his life in misery to miserable doom! If with my knowledge he lives at my hearthI pray that I myself may feel my curse. On you I lay my charge to fulfill all this for me, for the God, and for this land of ours destroyed and blighted, by the God forsaken."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Morality, Justice, Emotion, Power, Truth

15

"Who can stop grief's avalanche once it starts to roll."

"Who can stop grief's avalanche once it starts to roll."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Emotion, Grief, Sorrow, Life

15

"A man who really fights for justice must lead a private, not a public, life if he is to survive for even a short time."

"A man who really fights for justice must lead a private, not a public, life if he is to survive for even a short time."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Integrity, Life, Truth

15

"Whatever deceives men seems to produce a magical enchantment."

"Whatever deceives men seems to produce a magical enchantment."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Men

15

"Sufficiency's enough for men of sense."

"Sufficiency's enough for men of sense."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Wisdom, Contentment, Realism, Life

15

"Old age and the passage of time teach all things."

"Old age and the passage of time teach all things."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

15

"Fear is stronger than arms."

"Fear is stronger than arms."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Narrative, Fear, Power, Conflict, Strength

15

"He who can be, and therefore is, another's, and he who participates in reason enough to apprehend, but not to have, is a slave by nature."

"He who can be, and therefore is, another's, and he who participates in reason enough to apprehend, but not to have, is a slave by nature."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Nature, Reason

15

"Be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth, that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death."

"Be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth, that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Mortality, Death, Acceptance, Truth, Goodness

15

"How can you dare teach a man to read until you've taught him everything else first?"

"How can you dare teach a man to read until you've taught him everything else first?"

Giorgos Seferis, Greek Poet

Education, First, Man

15

"Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant."

"Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Art

15

"The only ways of enquiry that lead to knowledge... the one way assuming that being is and that it is impossible for it not to be, is the trustworthy path, for truth attends it."

"The only ways of enquiry that lead to knowledge... the one way assuming that being is and that it is impossible for it not to be, is the trustworthy path, for truth attends it."

Parmenides, Greek Philosopher

Truth, Knowledge, Being

15

"Freedom is not archived by satisfying desire, but by eliminating it."

"Freedom is not archived by satisfying desire, but by eliminating it."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Freedom, Desire, Spiritual, Wisdom

15

"The powe if fate is something terrible. It cannot be escaped--not with wealth or by war, not with a tower ir a sea-lashed black ship."

"The powe if fate is something terrible. It cannot be escaped--not with wealth or by war, not with a tower ir a sea-lashed black ship."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Fate, Power, Escape, Observation

15

"Too many kings can ruin an army."

"Too many kings can ruin an army."

Homer, Greek Poet

Leadership, Power, Unity, Strategy

15

"Each citizen should play his part in the community according to his individual gifts."

"Each citizen should play his part in the community according to his individual gifts."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Community, Contribution, Responsibility, Service

15

"Money-makers are tiresome company, as they have no standard but cash value."

"Money-makers are tiresome company, as they have no standard but cash value."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wealth, Money, Values, Company, Life

15

"A coward turns away but a brave man's choice is danger."

"A coward turns away but a brave man's choice is danger."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Morality, Courage, Danger, Choice, Bravery

15

"No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew it was the greatest of evils."

"No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew it was the greatest of evils."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Death, Fear, Life, Observation

15

"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

15

"We know the good we apprehend it clearly. But we can't bring it to achievement."

"We know the good we apprehend it clearly. But we can't bring it to achievement."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Knowledge, Achievement, Limitation, Reflection

15

"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

15

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