Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 3/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world."

"I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

60

"For what the horse does under compulsion, as Simon also observes, is done without understanding; and there is no beauty in it either, any more than if one should whip and spur a dancer."

"For what the horse does under compulsion, as Simon also observes, is done without understanding; and there is no beauty in it either, any more than if one should whip and spur a dancer."

Xenophon, Greek Soldier

Beauty, Understanding

60

"Caring about the happiness of others, we find our own."

"Caring about the happiness of others, we find our own."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Empathy, Happiness, Caring, Compassion, Selflessness

60

"The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life."

"The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Education, Life, Direction, Future

59

"Everything in excess is opposed to nature."

"Everything in excess is opposed to nature."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

59

"A horse is a thing of beauty... none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor."

"A horse is a thing of beauty... none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor."

Xenophon, Greek Soldier

59

"We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction."

"We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction."

Aesop, Greek Author

Destruction, Enemies

59

"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it."

"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

Vision, Danger, Glory

59

"Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases."

"Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

Extreme, Remedies

59

"Persuasion is achieved by the speaker's personal character when the speech is so spoken as to make us think him credible. We believe good men more fully and more readily than others: this is true generally whatever the question is, and absolutely true where exact certainty is impossible and opinions are divided."

"Persuasion is achieved by the speaker's personal character when the speech is so spoken as to make us think him credible. We believe good men more fully and more readily than others: this is true generally whatever the question is, and absolutely true where exact certainty is impossible and opinions are divided."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Rhetoric, Persuasion, Character, Credibility, Trust

59

"Alas, how quickly the gratitude owed to the dead flows off, how quick to be proved a deceiver."

"Alas, how quickly the gratitude owed to the dead flows off, how quick to be proved a deceiver."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Gratitude, Quick

59

"Much wisdom often goes with fewest words."

"Much wisdom often goes with fewest words."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

58

"It's far more important to know what person the disease has than what disease the person has."

"It's far more important to know what person the disease has than what disease the person has."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

58

"No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness."

"No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Soul, Madness

58

"Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another."

"Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Spiritual, Soul, Astronomy, World

58

"The wildest colts make the best horses."

"The wildest colts make the best horses."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Horses

58

"For in other ways a woman is full of fear, defenseless, dreads the sight of cold steel; but, when once she is wronged in the matter of love, no other soul can hold so many thoughts of blood."

"For in other ways a woman is full of fear, defenseless, dreads the sight of cold steel; but, when once she is wronged in the matter of love, no other soul can hold so many thoughts of blood."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Psychology, Love, Fear, Revenge, Emotion

58

"Yes the truth is that men's ambition and their desire to make money are among the most frequent causes of deliberate acts of injustice."

"Yes the truth is that men's ambition and their desire to make money are among the most frequent causes of deliberate acts of injustice."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Ambition, Money, Injustice, Desire

58

"Do not gain basely; base gain is equal to ruin."

"Do not gain basely; base gain is equal to ruin."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

57

"No one can harm the man who does himself no wrong."

"No one can harm the man who does himself no wrong."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

Harm, Man, Wrong

57

"If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in government to the utmost."

"If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in government to the utmost."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Democracy, Government, Equality, Thought

57

"Life is short, the art long."

"Life is short, the art long."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

57

"The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself."

"The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself."

Thales, Greek Philosopher

56

"The greatest mistake in the treatment of diseases is that there are physicians for the body and physicians for the soul, although the two cannot be separated."

"The greatest mistake in the treatment of diseases is that there are physicians for the body and physicians for the soul, although the two cannot be separated."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Health, Body, Soul, Medicine

56

"There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres."

"There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres."

Pythagoras, Greek Mathematician

Music, Geometry

56

"How many things can I do without?"

"How many things can I do without?"

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Minimalism, Simplicity, Choice, Life

56

"If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please."

"If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Reflection, Moderation

56

"Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed."

"Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

56

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Politics, Being, End

56

"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid."

"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Improvement, Thought, Content, Want

56

"Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always."

"Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

56

"Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous."

"Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Knowledge, Evil

56

"An honest man is always a child."

"An honest man is always a child."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

55

"The beginning seems to be more than half of the whole."

"The beginning seems to be more than half of the whole."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Success, Beginning, Effort, Achievement

55

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God."

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Wisdom, God, Heart, Despair

55

"A bad neighbor is as great a calamity as a good one is a great advantage."

"A bad neighbor is as great a calamity as a good one is a great advantage."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Neighborhood, Calamity

55

"No man ever wetted clay and then left it, as if there would be bricks by chance and fortune."

"No man ever wetted clay and then left it, as if there would be bricks by chance and fortune."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Chance, Fortune, Man

55

"Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head."

"Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Leadership, Soldiers, Will

55

"The life which is unexamined is not worth living."

"The life which is unexamined is not worth living."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Reflection, Life, Examination, Philosophy, Meaning

55

"Neither blame or praise yourself."

"Neither blame or praise yourself."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

55

"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all."

"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all."

Hypatia, Greek Philosopher

54

"It is with our passions as it is with fire and water, they are good servants, but bad masters."

"It is with our passions as it is with fire and water, they are good servants, but bad masters."

Aesop, Greek Author

Self-control, Fire, Water

54

"No one that encounters prosperity does not also encounter danger."

"No one that encounters prosperity does not also encounter danger."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Danger, Prosperity

54

"In the lack of judgment great harm arises, but one vote cast can set right a house."

"In the lack of judgment great harm arises, but one vote cast can set right a house."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Harm, Judgment, Right, Vote

54

"There's nothing like the sight of an old enemy down on his luck."

"There's nothing like the sight of an old enemy down on his luck."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Humor, Observation, Life, Reality

54

"One swallow does not make a summer,neither does one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy."

"One swallow does not make a summer,neither does one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Happiness, Life, Day, Time

54

"When I was singing, everybody liked me."

"When I was singing, everybody liked me."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

54

"Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion."

"Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion."

Democritus, Greek Philosopher

Opinion, Atoms, Nothing, Space

53

"Much learning does not teach understanding."

"Much learning does not teach understanding."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Understanding

53

"Nothing is harder to direct than a man in prosperity; nothing more easily managed that one is adversity."

"Nothing is harder to direct than a man in prosperity; nothing more easily managed that one is adversity."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Adversity, Man, Nothing, Prosperity

53

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