Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 5/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"The rewards of virtue alone abide secure."

"The rewards of virtue alone abide secure."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

31

"The bold are helpless without cleverness."

"The bold are helpless without cleverness."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Wisdom, Cleverness

31

"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

31

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled."

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

31

"Since long I've held silence a remedy for harm."

"Since long I've held silence a remedy for harm."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

31

"Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempest."

"Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempest."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Gain, Reputation, Storms

31

"The lucky person passes for a genius."

"The lucky person passes for a genius."

Euripides, Greek Poet

31

"Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish."

"Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Fool, Sense, Talk

31

"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

31

"By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher."

"By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Relationship, Marriage, Philosophy, Happiness, Choice

31

"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will."

"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Happiness, Power, Will

31

"When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger."

"When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Reflection, Anger, Fault, Forget, Man

30

"The chief beginning of evil is goodness in excess."

"The chief beginning of evil is goodness in excess."

Menander, Greek Poet

Beginning, Evil, Excess, Goodness

30

"Control thy passions lest they take vengence on thee."

"Control thy passions lest they take vengence on thee."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, Control

30

"In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."

"In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Peace, War, Fathers, Sons

30

"I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean."

"I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Inspirational, Wisdom, Poetry, Inspiration, Instinct

30

"And though all streams flow from a single course to cleanse the blood from polluted hand, they hasten on their course in vain."

"And though all streams flow from a single course to cleanse the blood from polluted hand, they hasten on their course in vain."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

30

"To persevere trusting in what hopes he has is courage in a man. The coward despairs."

"To persevere trusting in what hopes he has is courage in a man. The coward despairs."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Fear

30

"There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots - suspicion."

"There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots - suspicion."

Demosthenes, Greek Statesman

Security, Suspicion

30

"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

30

"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

30

"Bigotry is the sacred disease."

"Bigotry is the sacred disease."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Prejudice, Bigotry, Disease

30

"...and when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other's sight, as I may say, even for a moment."

"...and when one of them meets the other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy and one will not be out of the other's sight, as I may say, even for a moment."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Love, Friendship, Union, Soul

30

"Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil."

"Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Ignorance, Evil

29

"Much wisdom often goes with fewest words."

"Much wisdom often goes with fewest words."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

29

"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

29

"No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen."

"No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Patience, Time, Desire, First

29

"God loves to help him who strives to help himself."

"God loves to help him who strives to help himself."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

29

"Silence is better than unmeaning words."

"Silence is better than unmeaning words."

Pythagoras, Greek Mathematician

29

"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

29

"We cannot live better than in seeking to become better."

"We cannot live better than in seeking to become better."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Self-Help, Improvement, Self, Growth, Observation

29

"Plodding wins the race."

"Plodding wins the race."

Aesop, Greek Author

Persistence, Race

29

"For many generations, they obeyed the laws and loved the divine to which they were akin they reckoned that qualities of character were far more important than their present prosperity. So they bore the burden of their wealth and possessions lightly, and did not let their high standard of living intoxicate them or make them lose their self-control. But when the divine element in them became weakened and their human traits became predominant, they ceased to be able to carry their prosperity with moderation."

"For many generations, they obeyed the laws and loved the divine to which they were akin they reckoned that qualities of character were far more important than their present prosperity. So they bore the burden of their wealth and possessions lightly, and did not let their high standard of living intoxicate them or make them lose their self-control. But when the divine element in them became weakened and their human traits became predominant, they ceased to be able to carry their prosperity with moderation."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Virtue, Wealth, Character, Divine, Moderation

29

"Old age is, so to speak, the sanctuary of ills: they all take refuge in it."

"Old age is, so to speak, the sanctuary of ills: they all take refuge in it."

Antiphanes, Greek Writer

29

"Every time I would open my mouth to sing, everybody was paying attention to me. It became a habit."

"Every time I would open my mouth to sing, everybody was paying attention to me. It became a habit."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Time, Habit, Attention, Open

29

"What medicines do not heal, the lance will; what the lance does not heal, fire will."

"What medicines do not heal, the lance will; what the lance does not heal, fire will."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

29

"The blame is his who chooses: God is blameless."

"The blame is his who chooses: God is blameless."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, God, Blame

29

"Nothing is more active than thought, for it travels over the universe, and nothing is stronger than necessity for all must submit to it."

"Nothing is more active than thought, for it travels over the universe, and nothing is stronger than necessity for all must submit to it."

Thales, Greek Philosopher

Thought, Necessity, Nothing, Universe

29

"There is no success without hardship."

"There is no success without hardship."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Success, Hardship

29

"Happiness is a quality of the soul...not a function of one's material circumstances."

"Happiness is a quality of the soul...not a function of one's material circumstances."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Happiness, Soul, Material, Quality

29

"When a good man is hurt, all who would be called good must suffer with him."

"When a good man is hurt, all who would be called good must suffer with him."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Goodness, Suffering, Empathy, Compassion

29

"I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and dominion."

"I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and dominion."

Alexander the Great, Greek Leader

Wisdom, Power, Knowledge

29

"Some wisdom you must learn from one who's wise."

"Some wisdom you must learn from one who's wise."

Euripides, Greek Poet

29

"Even sleepers are workers and collaborators in what goes on in the Universe."

"Even sleepers are workers and collaborators in what goes on in the Universe."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Universe, Workers

29

"Walking is man's best medicine."

"Walking is man's best medicine."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

Man, Medicine, Walking

29

"Big results require big ambitions."

"Big results require big ambitions."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Ambition, Results

29

"The destiny of man is in his own soul."

"The destiny of man is in his own soul."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Soul, Destiny, Man

29

"As for me, all I know is that I know nothing."

"As for me, all I know is that I know nothing."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Ignorance, Nothing

29

"If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health."

"If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

Health, Exercise, Right

29

"The anvil of justice is planted firm, and fate who makes the sword does the forging in advance."

"The anvil of justice is planted firm, and fate who makes the sword does the forging in advance."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

28

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