Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 33/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"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

13

"Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history."

"Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Truth, History, Poetry

13

"For it would be better to die once and for all than to suffer pain for all one's life."

"For it would be better to die once and for all than to suffer pain for all one's life."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Suffering, Pain, Death, Endurance

13

"This is courage in a man: to bear unflinchingly what heaven sends."

"This is courage in a man: to bear unflinchingly what heaven sends."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Character, Courage, Faith, Strength, Life

13

"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel."

"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Education, Knowledge, Learning, Truth

13

"Time as he grows old teaches all things."

"Time as he grows old teaches all things."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

13

"Criticism is something you can easily avoid by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing."

"Criticism is something you can easily avoid by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Criticism, Inaction, Nothing, Silence

13

"When you do anything from a clear judgment that it ought to be done, never shrink from being seen to do it, even though the world should misunderstand it; for if you are not acting rightly, shun the action itself; if you are, why fear those who wrongly censure you?"

"When you do anything from a clear judgment that it ought to be done, never shrink from being seen to do it, even though the world should misunderstand it; for if you are not acting rightly, shun the action itself; if you are, why fear those who wrongly censure you?"

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Self-Help, Action, Judgment, Morality, Observation

13

"There is something in the pang of change More than the heart can bear, Unhappiness remembering happiness."

"There is something in the pang of change More than the heart can bear, Unhappiness remembering happiness."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Life, Change, Pain, Memory, Loss

13

"The many are more incorruptible than the few, they are like the greater quantity of water which is less easily corrupted than a little."

"The many are more incorruptible than the few, they are like the greater quantity of water which is less easily corrupted than a little."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Politics, Democracy, Corruption, Power, Justice

13

"Closer, it's all right. Touch the man of grief.Do. Don't be afraid. My troubles are mine and I am the only man alive who can sustain them."

"Closer, it's all right. Touch the man of grief.Do. Don't be afraid. My troubles are mine and I am the only man alive who can sustain them."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Grief, Responsibility, Suffering, Individual

13

"Unanimous hatred is the greatest medicine for a human community."

"Unanimous hatred is the greatest medicine for a human community."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Unity, Hatred, Community, Conflict, Power

13

"These virtues are formed in man by his doing the actions ... The good of man is a working of the soul in the way of excellence in a complete life."

"These virtues are formed in man by his doing the actions ... The good of man is a working of the soul in the way of excellence in a complete life."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Virtue, Action, Excellence, Soul

13

"I am smart because I know I nothing."

"I am smart because I know I nothing."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Smart, Knowledge, Nothing, Awareness

13

"For children preserve the fame of a man after his death."

"For children preserve the fame of a man after his death."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Death, Children, Fame, Man

13

"Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control."

"Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Freedom, Choice, Life, Empowerment

13

"No man will survive who genuinely opposes you or any other crowd and prevents the occurrence of many unjust and illegal happenings in the city. 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."

"No man will survive who genuinely opposes you or any other crowd and prevents the occurrence of many unjust and illegal happenings in the city. 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."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Danger, Courage, Politics

13

"Be as you wish to seem."

"Be as you wish to seem."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Authenticity, Truth, Power, Self

13

"I shall assume that your silence gives consent."

"I shall assume that your silence gives consent."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

13

"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

13

"In case of dissension, never dare to judge till you've heard the other side."

"In case of dissension, never dare to judge till you've heard the other side."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Ethics, Justice, Listening, Truth, Wisdom

13

"Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right?"

"Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right?"

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Morality, Action, Integrity, Truth

13

"We long to have again the vanished past, in spite of all its pain."

"We long to have again the vanished past, in spite of all its pain."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Emotion, Nostalgia, Memory, Desire, Reflection

13

"Happiness is a state of activity."

"Happiness is a state of activity."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Action, Happiness, Activity, Energy, Engagement

13

"Zeus, first cause, prime mover; for what thing without Zeus is done among mortals?"

"Zeus, first cause, prime mover; for what thing without Zeus is done among mortals?"

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Discipline, Myth, Faith, Divinity, Power

13

"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

13

"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper."

"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Virtue, Soul, Strength, Suffering, Temper

13

"Let a man accept his destiny. No pity and no tears."

"Let a man accept his destiny. No pity and no tears."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Destiny, Acceptance, Fate, Life

13

"There are some who praise a man free from disease; to me no man who is poor seems free from disease but to be constantly sick."

"There are some who praise a man free from disease; to me no man who is poor seems free from disease but to be constantly sick."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Health, Disease, Man, Poor, Praise

13

"Writing is the geometry of the soul."

"Writing is the geometry of the soul."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Writing, Geometry, Soul, Expression

13

"Far from gay cities and the way of men."

"Far from gay cities and the way of men."

Homer, Greek Poet

Solitude, Nature, Distance, Reflection

13

"This is courage ... to bear unflinchingly what heaven sends."

"This is courage ... to bear unflinchingly what heaven sends."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Courage, Faith, Endurance, Strength

13

"The physician heals Nature makes well."

"The physician heals Nature makes well."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Healing, Nature, Wellness, Health

13

"I only know that I know nothing."

"I only know that I know nothing."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Knowledge, Wisdom, Reflection, Philosophy

13

"A friend to all is a friend to none."

"A friend to all is a friend to none."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Friend

13

"Do not grieve yourself too much for those you hate, nor yet forget them utterly."

"Do not grieve yourself too much for those you hate, nor yet forget them utterly."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Relationship, Forget, Hate

13

"A word does not frighten the man who, in acting, feels no fear."

"A word does not frighten the man who, in acting, feels no fear."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Fear, Acting, Man, Word

13

"I have hardly ever known a mathematician who was capable of reasoning."

"I have hardly ever known a mathematician who was capable of reasoning."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Intelligence, Reason, Mathematics, Intellect, Logic

13

"All virtue is summed up in dealing justly."

"All virtue is summed up in dealing justly."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Virtue

13

"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

13

"A boy is of all wild beasts the most difficult to manage."

"A boy is of all wild beasts the most difficult to manage."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Childhood, Boys, Youth, Parenting, Behavior

13

"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

13

"Neither by nature, then, nor contrary to nature do the virtues arise in us; rather we are adapted by nature to receive them, and are made perfect by habit."

"Neither by nature, then, nor contrary to nature do the virtues arise in us; rather we are adapted by nature to receive them, and are made perfect by habit."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Virtue, Nature, Perfection, Life

13

"A sense is what has the power of receiving into itself the sensible forms of things without the matter, in the way in which a piece of wax takes on the impress of a signet-ring without the iron or gold."

"A sense is what has the power of receiving into itself the sensible forms of things without the matter, in the way in which a piece of wax takes on the impress of a signet-ring without the iron or gold."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Power, Gold, Sense

13

"Those who intend on becoming great should love neither themselves nor their own things, but only what is just, whether it happens to be done by themselves or others."

"Those who intend on becoming great should love neither themselves nor their own things, but only what is just, whether it happens to be done by themselves or others."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

13

"Haemon: No city is property of a single man.Creon: But custom gives possession to the ruler.Haemon: You'd rule a desert beautifully alone."

"Haemon: No city is property of a single man.Creon: But custom gives possession to the ruler.Haemon: You'd rule a desert beautifully alone."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Politics, Governance, Power, Leadership, Philosophy

13

"Men of Athens, I honor and I love you, but I will obey the god rather than you and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy, to exhort you and in my usual way to point out to any one of you whom I happen to meet."

"Men of Athens, I honor and I love you, but I will obey the god rather than you and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy, to exhort you and in my usual way to point out to any one of you whom I happen to meet."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, God, Life, Practice

13

"Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them."

"Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Integrity, Dignity

13

"No one longs to live more than someone growing old."

"No one longs to live more than someone growing old."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

13

"We shall learn the qualities of governments in the same way as we learn the qualities of individuals, since they are revealed in their deliberate acts of choice; and these are determined by the end that inspires them."

"We shall learn the qualities of governments in the same way as we learn the qualities of individuals, since they are revealed in their deliberate acts of choice; and these are determined by the end that inspires them."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Politics, Government, Choice, Revelation, Power

13

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