Quotes by Greek Authors | Beyond Motive 8/40

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Quotes by Greek Authors

"Fortify yourself with contentment for this is an impregnable fortress."

"Fortify yourself with contentment for this is an impregnable fortress."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

Wisdom, Contentment, Peace, Happiness, Self

49

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

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

Hippocrates, Greek Scientist

49

"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

49

"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

49

"Those who aim at great deeds must also suffer greatly."

"Those who aim at great deeds must also suffer greatly."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

Endurance, Deeds

49

"Men often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing."

"Men often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing."

Aesop, Greek Author

Authenticity, Men, Imitation

49

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

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

Euripides, Greek Poet

Thought, Slavery

49

"No man is free who is not master of himself."

"No man is free who is not master of himself."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

49

"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

48

"Our insignificance is often the cause of our safety."

"Our insignificance is often the cause of our safety."

Aesop, Greek Author

Humility, Cause, Safety

48

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Success, Habit, Act, Excellence

48

"As iron is eaten away by rust, so the envious are consumed by their own passion."

"As iron is eaten away by rust, so the envious are consumed by their own passion."

Antisthenes, Greek Philosopher

48

"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

48

"It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors."

"It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

48

"Mortals grow swiftly in misfortune."

"Mortals grow swiftly in misfortune."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Adversity, Misfortune

48

"Poor human reason, when it trusts in itself, substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts."

"Poor human reason, when it trusts in itself, substitutes the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts."

John Chrysostom, Greek Clergyman

48

"True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing."

"True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Faith, Knowledge, Nothing

48

"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

48

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls."

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls."

Aesop, Greek Author

48

"The bold are helpless without cleverness."

"The bold are helpless without cleverness."

Euripides, Greek Poet

Wisdom, Cleverness

48

"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

48

"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

48

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

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

Euripides, Greek Poet

48

"It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen."

"It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Morality, Goodness, Duty, Life

48

"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

48

"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

48

"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

48

"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

48

"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

48

"We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope."

"We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope."

Epictetus, Greek Philosopher

48

"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

47

"I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well."

"I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well."

Alexander the Great, Greek Leader

Education, Father, Living

47

"If it were possible to cure evils by lamentation and to raise the dead with tears, then gold would be a less valuable thing than weeping."

"If it were possible to cure evils by lamentation and to raise the dead with tears, then gold would be a less valuable thing than weeping."

Sophocles, Greek Poet

Cure, Gold, Tears, Weeping

47

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

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

Aeschylus, Greek Poet

Happiness, Choice, Effort

47

"High thoughts must have high language."

"High thoughts must have high language."

Aristophanes, Greek Poet

Thought, Thoughts, Language

47

"Let us carefully observe those good qualities wherein our enemies excel us; and endeavor to excel them, by avoiding what is faulty, and imitating what is excellent in them."

"Let us carefully observe those good qualities wherein our enemies excel us; and endeavor to excel them, by avoiding what is faulty, and imitating what is excellent in them."

Plutarch, Greek Philosopher

47

"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

47

"Happiness depends upon ourselves."

"Happiness depends upon ourselves."

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

47

"To do the same thing over and over again is not only boredom: it is to be controlled by rather than to control what you do."

"To do the same thing over and over again is not only boredom: it is to be controlled by rather than to control what you do."

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

47

"For both faith and want of faith have destroyed men alike."

"For both faith and want of faith have destroyed men alike."

Hesiod, Greek Poet

Faith, Men, Want

47

"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

47

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

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

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Leadership, First, World

47

"For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories."

"For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories."

Plato, Greek Philosopher

Self-Control, First, Man

47

"The fewer our wants the nearer we resemble the gods."

"The fewer our wants the nearer we resemble the gods."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Philosophy, Desire, Simplicity, Wisdom, Contentment

47

"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

47

"The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our separate ways, I to die, and you to live. Which of these two is better only God knows."

"The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our separate ways, I to die, and you to live. Which of these two is better only God knows."

Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Death, Life, Faith, Truth

47

"Heaven cannot brook two suns, nor earth two masters."

"Heaven cannot brook two suns, nor earth two masters."

Alexander the Great, Greek Leader

Wisdom, Earth, Heaven

47

"He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor."

"He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor."

Menander, Greek Poet

Despair, Diligence, Labor

47

"The most momentous thing in human life is the art of winning the soul to good or evil."

"The most momentous thing in human life is the art of winning the soul to good or evil."

Pythagoras, Greek Mathematician

Art, Life, Soul, Winning

47

"The secret is to cook the aubergines the day before and let them dry of all the oil they drank in cooking. When you cook aubergine, they eat a lot of oil. It can be very heavy."

"The secret is to cook the aubergines the day before and let them dry of all the oil they drank in cooking. When you cook aubergine, they eat a lot of oil. It can be very heavy."

Nana Mouskouri, Greek Musician

Cooking, Day, Oil

47

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