Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 30/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"Justice means minding one's own business and not meddling with other men's concerns."

"Justice means minding one's own business and not meddling with other men's concerns."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Business, Men

15

"By far the greatest and most admirable form of wisdom is that needed to plan and beautify cities and human communities."

"By far the greatest and most admirable form of wisdom is that needed to plan and beautify cities and human communities."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Architecture, Wisdom, Planning, Community, Design

15

"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

15

"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

15

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

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

Sophocles, Greek Poet

15

"If you wish to live a life free from sorrow think of what is going to happen as if it had already happened."

"If you wish to live a life free from sorrow think of what is going to happen as if it had already happened."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Acceptance, Future, Truth, Philosophy

15

"He held his seat a friend to human race."

"He held his seat a friend to human race."

Homer, Greek Poet

Humanity, Friendship, Honor, Character

15

"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

15

"They certainly give very strange names to diseases."

"They certainly give very strange names to diseases."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

15

"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

15

"Men create gods after their own image, not only with regard to their form but with regard to their mode of life."

"Men create gods after their own image, not only with regard to their form but with regard to their mode of life."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Spiritual, Life, Men, Gods

15

"A fearful man is always hearing things."

"A fearful man is always hearing things."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Fear, Hearing, Man

15

"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

15

"Twice and thrice over, as they say, good is it to repeat and review what is good."

"Twice and thrice over, as they say, good is it to repeat and review what is good."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Repetition, Goodness, Memory

15

"TEIRESIAS: Alas, how terrible is wisdom whenit brings no profit to the man that's wise!This I knew well, but had forgotten it,else I would not have come here."

"TEIRESIAS: Alas, how terrible is wisdom whenit brings no profit to the man that's wise!This I knew well, but had forgotten it,else I would not have come here."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Wisdom, Profit, Truth, Life

15

"Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach."

"Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Knowledge, Teaching, Learning

15

"Whoever lives among many evils just as I, how can dying not be a source of gain?"

"Whoever lives among many evils just as I, how can dying not be a source of gain?"

Sophocles, Greek Poet

15

"Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts."

"Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Habit, Excellence, Result

15

"Humour is the only test of gravity and gravity of humour for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit."

"Humour is the only test of gravity and gravity of humour for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Humor, Gravity, Truth, Wit

15

"There is some pleasure even in words, when they bring forgetfulness of present miseries."

"There is some pleasure even in words, when they bring forgetfulness of present miseries."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Justice, Forgetfulness, Pleasure, Present, Words

15

"When a youth was giving himself airs in the Theatre and saying, 'I am wise, for I have conversed with many wise men,' Epictetus replied, 'I too have conversed with many rich men, yet I am not rich!'."

"When a youth was giving himself airs in the Theatre and saying, 'I am wise, for I have conversed with many wise men,' Epictetus replied, 'I too have conversed with many rich men, yet I am not rich!'."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Humility, Observation, Learning

15

"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

15

"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

15

"It is much better to die of hunger unhindered by grief and fear than to live affluently beset with worry, dread, suspicion and unchecked desire."

"It is much better to die of hunger unhindered by grief and fear than to live affluently beset with worry, dread, suspicion and unchecked desire."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Survival, Hunger, Fear, Desire, Life

15

"It is well said, then, that it is by doing just acts that the just man is produced, and by doing temperate acts the temperate man; without doing these no one would have even a prospect of becoming good."

"It is well said, then, that it is by doing just acts that the just man is produced, and by doing temperate acts the temperate man; without doing these no one would have even a prospect of becoming good."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Action, Man, Morality

15

"Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting in a particular way."

"Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting in a particular way."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Identity, Men, Quality, Acting

15

"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

15

"There is no worse evil than a bad woman and nothing has ever been produced better than a good one."

"There is no worse evil than a bad woman and nothing has ever been produced better than a good one."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Morality, Women, Judgment, Observation

15

"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

15

"What lies in our power to do it lies in our power not to do."

"What lies in our power to do it lies in our power not to do."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Power, Choice, Action, Control

15

"Time is the moving image of eternity."

"Time is the moving image of eternity."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Time, Eternity, Image, Movement

15

"Best to live lightly, unthinkingly."

"Best to live lightly, unthinkingly."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Simplicity, Life, Observation, Wisdom

15

"Even God cannot change the past."

"Even God cannot change the past."

Agathon, Greek Poet

Change, God, Past

15

"All concerns of men go wrong when they wish to cure evil with evil."

"All concerns of men go wrong when they wish to cure evil with evil."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Ethics, Evil, Morality, Conflict, Choice

15

"I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning."

"I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Education, Music, Children, Learning

15

"To prefer evil to good is not in human nature; and when a man is compelled to choose one of two evils, no one will choose the greater when he might have the less."

"To prefer evil to good is not in human nature; and when a man is compelled to choose one of two evils, no one will choose the greater when he might have the less."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Integrity, Nature, Evil, Humannature, Will

15

"The highest reach of injustice is to be deemed just when you are not."

"The highest reach of injustice is to be deemed just when you are not."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Injustice

15

"One can with but moderate possessions do what one ought."

"One can with but moderate possessions do what one ought."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Simplicity, Duty, Contentment, Life

15

"Cursed be he above all others Who's enslaved by love of money. Money takes the place of brothers, Money takes the place of parents, Money brings us war and slaughter."

"Cursed be he above all others Who's enslaved by love of money. Money takes the place of brothers, Money takes the place of parents, Money brings us war and slaughter."

Anacreon, Greek Poet

Love, Money, War, Brothers

15

"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Politics, Indifference, Evil, Responsibility

15

"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

15

"Kindness gives birth to kindness."

"Kindness gives birth to kindness."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Kindness, Generosity, Humanity, Action

14

"The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law."

"The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Equality, Law, Men, State

14

"God takes away the minds of poets, and uses them as his ministers, as he also uses diviners and holy prophets, in order that we who hear them may know them to be speaking not of themselves who utter these priceless words in a state of unconsciousness, but that God himself is the speaker, and that through them he is conversing with us."

"God takes away the minds of poets, and uses them as his ministers, as he also uses diviners and holy prophets, in order that we who hear them may know them to be speaking not of themselves who utter these priceless words in a state of unconsciousness, but that God himself is the speaker, and that through them he is conversing with us."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Spiritual, Inspirational, Faith, Poetry, Divine

14

"But now, as it is, sorrows, unending sorrows must surge within your heart as well-for your own son's death. Never again will you embrace him stiding home. My spirit rebels-I've lost the will to live, to take my stand in the world of men."

"But now, as it is, sorrows, unending sorrows must surge within your heart as well-for your own son's death. Never again will you embrace him stiding home. My spirit rebels-I've lost the will to live, to take my stand in the world of men."

Homer, Greek Poet

Grief, Loss, Despair, Love

14

"Science is nothing but perception."

"Science is nothing but perception."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Science, Perception, Nothing

14

"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

14

"Democracy arose from men's thinking that if they are equal in any respect, they are equal absolutely."

"Democracy arose from men's thinking that if they are equal in any respect, they are equal absolutely."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Democracy, Equality, Men, Thought

14

"Virtue lies in our power, and similarly so does vice; because where it is in our power to act, it is also in our power not to act."

"Virtue lies in our power, and similarly so does vice; because where it is in our power to act, it is also in our power not to act."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Choice, Virtue, Vice, Power

14

"If it were necessary either to do wrong or to suffer it, I should choose to suffer rather than do it."

"If it were necessary either to do wrong or to suffer it, I should choose to suffer rather than do it."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Integrity, Wrong, Choice, Life, Ethics

14

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