Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 4/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"The poet is a light and winged and holy thing, and there is no invention in him until he has been inspired and is out of his sneses, and the mind is no longer in him."

"The poet is a light and winged and holy thing, and there is no invention in him until he has been inspired and is out of his sneses, and the mind is no longer in him."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Art, Poet, Inspirational, Light, Creativity

48

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

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

Hesiod, Greek Poet

47

"Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist."

"Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

47

"To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory, to be vanquished by one's own nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat."

"To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory, to be vanquished by one's own nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Conquest, Victory, Self, Discipline, Failure

47

"Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money."

"Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Life, Money, Gain

47

"Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity."

"Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Education, Adversity, Prosperity

47

"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

46

"He who commits injustice is ever made more wretched than he who suffers it."

"He who commits injustice is ever made more wretched than he who suffers it."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Justice, Injustice

46

"Prayer indeed is good, but while calling on the gods a man should himself lend a hand."

"Prayer indeed is good, but while calling on the gods a man should himself lend a hand."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

God, Gods, Man, Prayer

46

"I have learned to hate all traitors, and there is no disease that I spit on more than treachery."

"I have learned to hate all traitors, and there is no disease that I spit on more than treachery."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Hatred, Disease, Hate, Treachery

46

"Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states."

"Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states."

Demosthenes, Greek Statesman

Security, States

46

"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

46

"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

46

"Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always."

"Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

46

"Walking is man's best medicine."

"Walking is man's best medicine."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

Man, Medicine, Walking

46

"When I was singing, everybody liked me."

"When I was singing, everybody liked me."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

46

"Much wisdom often goes with fewest words."

"Much wisdom often goes with fewest words."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

45

"We must believe what is good and true about the prophets, that they were sages, that they did understand what proceeded from their mouths, and that they bore prudence on their lips."

"We must believe what is good and true about the prophets, that they were sages, that they did understand what proceeded from their mouths, and that they bore prudence on their lips."

Origen, Greek Theologian

45

"The highest point of philosophy is to be both wise and simple; this is the angelic life."

"The highest point of philosophy is to be both wise and simple; this is the angelic life."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

Life, Philosophy

45

"If women didn't exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning."

"If women didn't exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning."

Aristotle Onassis, Greek Businessman

Humor, Money, Women, Meaning, World

45

"It were better to have no opinion of God at all than such a one as is unworthy of him; for the one is only belief - the other contempt."

"It were better to have no opinion of God at all than such a one as is unworthy of him; for the one is only belief - the other contempt."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

God, Belief, Contempt, Opinion

45

"It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow."

"It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow."

Aesop, Greek Author

Preparedness, Today, Tomorrow

45

"If all misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own and depart."

"If all misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own and depart."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Equality, People

45

"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

45

"Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud."

"Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Deception, Fraud, Honor, Succeed

45

"Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing."

"Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Nothing, Question

45

"The poets are only the interpreters of the Gods."

"The poets are only the interpreters of the Gods."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Art, Gods, Poets

45

"Life is short, the art long."

"Life is short, the art long."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

45

"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

45

"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

45

"If you have assumed any character beyond your strength, you have both demeaned yourself ill in that and quitted one which you might have supported."

"If you have assumed any character beyond your strength, you have both demeaned yourself ill in that and quitted one which you might have supported."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Self-Development, Strength, Character, Wisdom, Responsibility

45

"In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face."

"In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face."

Diogenes of Sinope, Greek Philosopher

45

"The life so short, the craft so long to learn."

"The life so short, the craft so long to learn."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

44

"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

44

"A doubtful friend is worse than a certain enemy. Let a man be one thing or the other, and we then know how to meet him."

"A doubtful friend is worse than a certain enemy. Let a man be one thing or the other, and we then know how to meet him."

Aesop, Greek Author

Friendship, Friend, Enemy, Man

44

"I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating."

"I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Integrity, Cheating, Honor

44

"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

44

"Plodding wins the race."

"Plodding wins the race."

Aesop, Greek Author

Persistence, Race

44

"Everything yields to diligence."

"Everything yields to diligence."

Antiphanes, Greek Writer

44

"The misfortune of the wise is better than the prosperity of the fool."

"The misfortune of the wise is better than the prosperity of the fool."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Fool, Misfortune, Prosperity

44

"When I was very young I was the ugly duckling. I had a lot of complexes. My sister was wonderful and I was nothing."

"When I was very young I was the ugly duckling. I had a lot of complexes. My sister was wonderful and I was nothing."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Sister, Nothing, Ugly

44

"Men who wish to know about the world must learn about it in its particular details."

"Men who wish to know about the world must learn about it in its particular details."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, World

44

"Dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty."

"Dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Politics, Democracy, Dictatorship, Extreme, Liberty

44

"You are wrong sir, if you think that a man who is any good at all should take into account the risk of life or death; he should look to this only in his actions, whether what he does is right or wrong."

"You are wrong sir, if you think that a man who is any good at all should take into account the risk of life or death; he should look to this only in his actions, whether what he does is right or wrong."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Ethics, Courage, Morality, Decision

44

"Big results require big ambitions."

"Big results require big ambitions."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Ambition, Results

44

"It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has."

"It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

43

"If you allow men to use you for your own purposes, they will use you for theirs."

"If you allow men to use you for your own purposes, they will use you for theirs."

Aesop, Greek Author

Exploitation, Men, Will

43

"Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other."

"Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other."

Euripides, Greek Poet

43

"There is no success without hardship."

"There is no success without hardship."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Success, Hardship

43

"Misfortune seldom intrudes upon the wise man; his greatest and highest interests are directed by reason throughout the course of life."

"Misfortune seldom intrudes upon the wise man; his greatest and highest interests are directed by reason throughout the course of life."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Life, Man, Misfortune, Reason

43

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