Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 6/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"No speech can stain what is noble by nature."

"No speech can stain what is noble by nature."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

45

"Old loves are dropped when new ones come."

"Old loves are dropped when new ones come."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Relationship, Love, Change, Truth

45

"I believe, however, that such abnormal moments can be found in everyone, and it is all the more fortunate when they occur in individuals with creative talent or with clairvoyant powers."

"I believe, however, that such abnormal moments can be found in everyone, and it is all the more fortunate when they occur in individuals with creative talent or with clairvoyant powers."

Giorgio de Chirico, Greek Artist

Talent, Moments

45

"Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad."

"Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, Being

45

"Beware that you do not lose the substance by grasping at the shadow."

"Beware that you do not lose the substance by grasping at the shadow."

Aesop, Greek Author

Illusion, Shadow

45

"Marriage, if one will face the truth, is an evil, but a necessary evil."

"Marriage, if one will face the truth, is an evil, but a necessary evil."

Menander, Greek Poet

Marriage, Truth, Evil, Will

45

"How could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?"

"How could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?"

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Ignorance, Perception, Reality, Truth

45

"It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them."

"It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

45

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire."

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Determination, Nature, Habit, Actions, Chance

44

"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects."

"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Time, Rest, Right, Will

44

"Whenever a doctor cannot do good, he must be kept from doing harm."

"Whenever a doctor cannot do good, he must be kept from doing harm."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

44

"To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future."

"To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Power, Wisdom, Errors, Future

44

"Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal."

"Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Democracy, Men, Respect

44

"A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true."

"A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Morality, Values, Illusion, Nothing

44

"As to marriage or celibacy, let a man take which course he will, he will be sure to repent."

"As to marriage or celibacy, let a man take which course he will, he will be sure to repent."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Choice, Marriage, Celibacy, Man, Will

44

"Let each man exercise the art he knows."

"Let each man exercise the art he knows."

Aristophanes, Greek Poet

Art, Exercise, Man

44

"Any excuse will serve a tyrant."

"Any excuse will serve a tyrant."

Aesop, Greek Author

44

"Everything yields to diligence."

"Everything yields to diligence."

Antiphanes, Greek Writer

44

"Not knowing anything is the sweetest life."

"Not knowing anything is the sweetest life."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

44

"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

44

"Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior."

"Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Equality, Man, Woman

44

"He fashions evil for himself who does evil to another, and an evil plan does mischief to the planner."

"He fashions evil for himself who does evil to another, and an evil plan does mischief to the planner."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

44

"Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards."

"Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

44

"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

44

"For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them."

"For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Learning, Experience, Knowledge, Practice

44

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

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

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Soul, Destiny, Man

44

"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

43

"In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can."

"In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can."

Nikos Kazantzakis, Greek Writer

Achievement, First, Order, Succeed

43

"High thoughts must have high language."

"High thoughts must have high language."

Aristophanes, Greek Poet

Thought, Thoughts, Language

43

"If a man suffers ill, let it be without shame; for this is the only profit when we are dead. You will never say a good word about deeds that are evil and disgraceful."

"If a man suffers ill, let it be without shame; for this is the only profit when we are dead. You will never say a good word about deeds that are evil and disgraceful."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Acceptance, Deeds, Evil, Man, Profit

43

"If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it."

"If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

43

"Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live."

"Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Values, People, Worth

43

"By polluting clear water with slime you will never find good drinking water."

"By polluting clear water with slime you will never find good drinking water."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Behavior, Drinking, Water, Will

43

"We understand and recognize what is good, but we do not labor to bring it to fulfillment, some of us out of laziness, some because we put something else, some pleasure, before virtue--and there are many pleasures in life, long conversations and indolence-that pleasing vice.."

"We understand and recognize what is good, but we do not labor to bring it to fulfillment, some of us out of laziness, some because we put something else, some pleasure, before virtue--and there are many pleasures in life, long conversations and indolence-that pleasing vice.."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Ethics, Virtue, Pleasure, Morality

43

"Do not grieve so much for a husband lost that it wastes away your life."

"Do not grieve so much for a husband lost that it wastes away your life."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Emotion, Grief, Loss, Life

43

"Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something."

"Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Men, Fools

43

"With my songs I tried to prove that there is love."

"With my songs I tried to prove that there is love."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

43

"Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger."

"Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

Anger, Being, Causes, First

43

"The level of our success is limited only by our imagination and no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted."

"The level of our success is limited only by our imagination and no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted."

Aesop, Greek Author

Achievement, Imagination, Success, Act, Kindness

43

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

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

Euripides, Greek Poet

43

"The most virtuous are those who content themselves with being virtuous without seeking to appear so."

"The most virtuous are those who content themselves with being virtuous without seeking to appear so."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Humility, Being, Content

43

"We do not so much need the help of our friends as the confidence of their help in need."

"We do not so much need the help of our friends as the confidence of their help in need."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Friendship, Confidence, Friends, Help

43

"I would rather excel in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and possessions."

"I would rather excel in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and possessions."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Power, Knowledge, Possessions

43

"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality."

"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Change, Reality, Will

43

"The present will not long endure."

"The present will not long endure."

Pindar, Greek Poet

43

"Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war."

"Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

43

"Hell is paved with priests' skulls."

"Hell is paved with priests' skulls."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

43

"Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little."

"Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Persistence, Perseverance, Violence, Yield

42

"The divine law indeed has excluded women from this ministry, but they endeavour to thrust themselves into it; and since they can effect nothing of themselves, they do all through the agency of others."

"The divine law indeed has excluded women from this ministry, but they endeavour to thrust themselves into it; and since they can effect nothing of themselves, they do all through the agency of others."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

Woman, Women, Effect, Law, Nothing

42

"The foundation of every state is the education of its youth."

"The foundation of every state is the education of its youth."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

Education, State, Youth

42

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