Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 7/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"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

42

"Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times."

"Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times."

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Happiness, Choice, Effort

42

"To be ignorant of the lives of the most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood all our days."

"To be ignorant of the lives of the most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood all our days."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Man, Men, Childhood, State

42

"Of all animals the boy is the most unmanageable."

"Of all animals the boy is the most unmanageable."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Youth, Animals, Nature, Behavior

42

"Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults."

"Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

Enemy, Enemies, Faults, First

42

"It is better for you to be free of fear lying upon a pallet, than to have a golden couch and a rich table and be full of trouble."

"It is better for you to be free of fear lying upon a pallet, than to have a golden couch and a rich table and be full of trouble."

Epicurus, Greek Philosopher

Fear, Lying, Trouble

42

"Wonder is the beginning of wisdom."

"Wonder is the beginning of wisdom."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Wonder, Curiosity, Knowledge, Learning

42

"I grew up thinking that singing was my security."

"I grew up thinking that singing was my security."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Security, Singing, Thinking

42

"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

42

"As the sun does not wait for prayers and incantations tob e induced to rise, but immediately shines and is saluted by all, so do you also not wait for clappings of hands and shouts of praise tob e induced to do good, but be a doer of good voluntarily and you will be beloved as much as the sun."

"As the sun does not wait for prayers and incantations tob e induced to rise, but immediately shines and is saluted by all, so do you also not wait for clappings of hands and shouts of praise tob e induced to do good, but be a doer of good voluntarily and you will be beloved as much as the sun."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Morality, Action, Goodness, Happiness, Inspirational

42

"Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens."

"Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Power, Rest

42

"Chance fights ever on the side of the prudent."

"Chance fights ever on the side of the prudent."

Euripides, Greek Poet

42

"The secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows."

"The secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows."

Aristotle Onassis, Greek Businessman

Wisdom, Business

42

"Persuasion is often more effectual than force."

"Persuasion is often more effectual than force."

Aesop, Greek Author

Persuasion, Force

42

"Keep a watch also on the faults of the patients, which often make them lie about the taking of things prescribed."

"Keep a watch also on the faults of the patients, which often make them lie about the taking of things prescribed."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

42

"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

42

"Happiness is brief It will not stay. God batters at its sails."

"Happiness is brief It will not stay. God batters at its sails."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Happiness, Life, God, Spiritual

42

"Make a habit of two things: to help; or at least to do no harm."

"Make a habit of two things: to help; or at least to do no harm."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

Habit, Harm, Help

42

"I loathe a friend whose gratitude grows old, a friend who takes his friend's prosperity but will not voyage with him in his grief."

"I loathe a friend whose gratitude grows old, a friend who takes his friend's prosperity but will not voyage with him in his grief."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Relationship, Friendship, Gratitude, Loyalty, Support

42

"Since luck's a nine days' wonder wait their end."

"Since luck's a nine days' wonder wait their end."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Fate, Luck, Time, Patience, Observation

42

"Love can sometimes be magic. But magic can sometimes... just be an illusion."

"Love can sometimes be magic. But magic can sometimes... just be an illusion."

Javan, Greek Celebrity

Love, Illusion, Magic

42

"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

42

"That man is happiest who lives from day to day and asks no more garnering the simple goodness of life."

"That man is happiest who lives from day to day and asks no more garnering the simple goodness of life."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Life, Happiness, Gratitude, Simplicity, Contentment

42

"How can you wonder your travels do you no good, when you carry yourself around with you?"

"How can you wonder your travels do you no good, when you carry yourself around with you?"

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Reflection, Self, Travel, Awareness

42

"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

41

"Potter is jealous of potter, and craftsman of craftsman; and the poor have a grudge against the poor, and the poet against the poet."

"Potter is jealous of potter, and craftsman of craftsman; and the poor have a grudge against the poor, and the poet against the poet."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

41

"The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

"The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Politics, Apathy, Evil, Responsibility

41

"Wherever you turn, there is always something wrong with the politicians. They have everything they need to save the world, and they don't save it."

"Wherever you turn, there is always something wrong with the politicians. They have everything they need to save the world, and they don't save it."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Politicians, World, Wrong

41

"Children are the anchors of a mother's life."

"Children are the anchors of a mother's life."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Life, Mother, Children

41

"Ah, yes, superstition: it would appear to be cowardice in face of the supernatural."

"Ah, yes, superstition: it would appear to be cowardice in face of the supernatural."

Theophrastus, Greek Philosopher

Coward, Cowardice, Supernatural

41

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

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

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, Control

41

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

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

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Countries

41

"Courage stands halfway between cowardice and rashness, one of which is a lack, the other an excess of courage."

"Courage stands halfway between cowardice and rashness, one of which is a lack, the other an excess of courage."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Courage, Cowardice, Excess

41

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls."

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls."

Aesop, Greek Author

41

"Despair often breeds disease."

"Despair often breeds disease."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Despair, Disease

41

"When strength is yoked with justice, where is a mightier pair than they?"

"When strength is yoked with justice, where is a mightier pair than they?"

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Strength, Justice

41

"Who knoweth if to die be but to live, and that called life by mortals be but death?"

"Who knoweth if to die be but to live, and that called life by mortals be but death?"

Euripides, Greek Poet

Philosophy, Life, Death, Existence

41

"If a man comes to the door of poetry untouched by the madness of the Muses, believing that technique alone will make him a good poet, he and his sane compositions never reach perfection, but are utterly eclipsed by the performances of the inspired madman."

"If a man comes to the door of poetry untouched by the madness of the Muses, believing that technique alone will make him a good poet, he and his sane compositions never reach perfection, but are utterly eclipsed by the performances of the inspired madman."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Art, Poetry, Inspirational, Madness, Creativity

41

"The bold are helpless without cleverness."

"The bold are helpless without cleverness."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Wisdom, Cleverness

41

"Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."

"Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

41

"Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a habit."

"Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a habit."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, Habit, Evil, Present

41

"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

41

"This is slavery, not to speak one's thought."

"This is slavery, not to speak one's thought."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Thought, Slavery

41

"Or else I would have sung a songin response to what the male sex sings.For our lengthy past has much to sayabout men's lives as well as ours."

"Or else I would have sung a songin response to what the male sex sings.For our lengthy past has much to sayabout men's lives as well as ours."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Society, Reflection, History, Gender, Expression

41

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Success, Art, Habit, Virtue, Act

41

"No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to persevere to the end in their nature and education."

"No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to persevere to the end in their nature and education."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Attitude, Education, Nature, Children, End

41

"Honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action."

"Honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Merit, Action, Quality, Fall, Show

40

"Fame means being respected by everybody, or having some quality that is desired by all men, or by most, or by the good, or by the wise."

"Fame means being respected by everybody, or having some quality that is desired by all men, or by most, or by the good, or by the wise."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Status, Fame, Respect, Desire, Men

40

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

40

"We should look to the mind, and not to the outward appearance."

"We should look to the mind, and not to the outward appearance."

Aesop, Greek Author

Character, Appearance, Mind

40

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