Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 7/38

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater."

"Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, Heaven, Practice

18

"Fortune cannot aid those who do nothing."

"Fortune cannot aid those who do nothing."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Fortune, Nothing

18

"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

18

"We are obliged, therefore, to say that whoever speaks that which is foreign to religion is using many words, while he who speaks the words of truth, even should he go over the whole field and omit nothing, is always speaking the one word."

"We are obliged, therefore, to say that whoever speaks that which is foreign to religion is using many words, while he who speaks the words of truth, even should he go over the whole field and omit nothing, is always speaking the one word."

Origen, Greek Theologian

Religion, Truth, Nothing, Word

18

"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

18

"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

18

"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

18

"An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics."

"An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

18

"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

18

"Love - a grave mental disease."

"Love - a grave mental disease."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Love, Madness, Disease, Mental

18

"Revolutions are not about trifles but spring from trifles."

"Revolutions are not about trifles but spring from trifles."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Revolution, Life, Change, Power

18

"Let him who would move the world first move himself."

"Let him who would move the world first move himself."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Motivation, Action, Influence, Responsibility, Truth

18

"Whenever a man makes haste, God too hastens with him."

"Whenever a man makes haste, God too hastens with him."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

God, Haste, Man

18

"Our enemies are Medes and Persians, men who for centuries have lived soft and luxurious lives; we of Macedon for generations past have been trained in the hard school of danger and war. Above all, we are free men, and they are slaves."

"Our enemies are Medes and Persians, men who for centuries have lived soft and luxurious lives; we of Macedon for generations past have been trained in the hard school of danger and war. Above all, we are free men, and they are slaves."

Arrian, Greek Historian

Man, Men, War, Danger, Enemies

17

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

17

"We are given to the cult of personality; when things go badly we look to some messiah to save us. If by chance we think we have found one, it will not be long before we destroy him."

"We are given to the cult of personality; when things go badly we look to some messiah to save us. If by chance we think we have found one, it will not be long before we destroy him."

Constantine Karamanlis, Greek Leader

Chance, Personality, Will

17

"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds."

"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds."

Aesop, Greek Author

Appearance, Birds

17

"For there is no defense for a man who, in the excess of his wealth, has kicked the great altar of Justice out of sight."

"For there is no defense for a man who, in the excess of his wealth, has kicked the great altar of Justice out of sight."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Wealth, Defense, Excess, Justice

17

"Have you ever sensed that our soul is immortal and never dies?"

"Have you ever sensed that our soul is immortal and never dies?"

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Metaphysics, Soul, Immortality, Belief, Afterlife

17

"Sublimity is the echo of great mind."

"Sublimity is the echo of great mind."

Longinus, Greek Critic

17

"Freedom is the right to live as we wish."

"Freedom is the right to live as we wish."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

17

"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

17

"He has the most who is most content with the least."

"He has the most who is most content with the least."

Diogenes, Greek Philosopher

17

"After a certain point, money is meaningless. It ceases to be the goal. The game is what counts."

"After a certain point, money is meaningless. It ceases to be the goal. The game is what counts."

Aristotle Onassis, Greek Businessman

Success, Money, Goal

17

"Whoever has trusted a woman has trusted deceivers."

"Whoever has trusted a woman has trusted deceivers."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

17

"Mortals grow swiftly in misfortune."

"Mortals grow swiftly in misfortune."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Adversity, Misfortune

17

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil."

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Unity, Soul, Evil, Words

17

"Soft men tend to be born from soft countries."

"Soft men tend to be born from soft countries."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Countries

17

"You have been trapped in the inescapable net of ruin by your own want of sense."

"You have been trapped in the inescapable net of ruin by your own want of sense."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Ignorance, Ruin, Sense, Want

17

"Let each man exercise the art he knows."

"Let each man exercise the art he knows."

Aristophanes, Greek Poet

Art, Exercise, Man

17

"Plodding wins the race."

"Plodding wins the race."

Aesop, Greek Author

Persistence, Race

17

"The chief virtue that language can have is clearness, and nothing detracts from it so much as the use of unfamiliar words."

"The chief virtue that language can have is clearness, and nothing detracts from it so much as the use of unfamiliar words."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

Virtue, Language, Nothing, Words

17

"The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in good education."

"The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in good education."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Education, Lie, Honesty, Virtue

17

"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

17

"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

17

"To persevere, trusting in what hopes he has, is courage in a man."

"To persevere, trusting in what hopes he has, is courage in a man."

Euripides, Greek Poet

17

"How easily some light report is set about, but how difficult to bear."

"How easily some light report is set about, but how difficult to bear."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

17

"Lucky that man whose children make his happiness in life and not his grief, the anguished disappointment of his hopes."

"Lucky that man whose children make his happiness in life and not his grief, the anguished disappointment of his hopes."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Family, Happiness, Children, Life

17

"Isn't it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?"

"Isn't it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?"

Sophocles, Greek Poet

17

"Beauty is the bait which with delight allures man to enlarge his kind."

"Beauty is the bait which with delight allures man to enlarge his kind."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Beauty, Delight, Man

17

"It is this simplicity that makes the uneducated more effective than the educated when addressing popular audiences-makes them, as the poets tell us, 'charm the crowd's ears more finely.' Educated men lay down broad general principles; uneducated men argue from common knowledge and draw obvious conclusions."

"It is this simplicity that makes the uneducated more effective than the educated when addressing popular audiences-makes them, as the poets tell us, 'charm the crowd's ears more finely.' Educated men lay down broad general principles; uneducated men argue from common knowledge and draw obvious conclusions."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Rhetoric, Education, Speech, Audience

17

"Badness you can get easily, in quantity; the road is smooth, and it lies close by, But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it."

"Badness you can get easily, in quantity; the road is smooth, and it lies close by, But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

God, Gods, Excellence, Lies, Quantity

17

"Unions in wedlock are perverted by the victory of shameless passion that masters the female among men and beasts."

"Unions in wedlock are perverted by the victory of shameless passion that masters the female among men and beasts."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Man, Men, Victory, Passion

17

"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

17

"The charity that is a trifle to us can be precious to others."

"The charity that is a trifle to us can be precious to others."

Homer, Greek Poet

Generosity, Charity, Trifle

17

"Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger."

"Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger."

Saint Basil, Greek Saint

Society, Abundance, Hunger, Man, Rain

17

"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

17

"To be free from evil thoughts is God's best gift."

"To be free from evil thoughts is God's best gift."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

God, Thoughts, Evil

17

"Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed."

"Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

17

"Time brings all things to pass."

"Time brings all things to pass."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

17

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