The Quotes canon
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Browse all 10,075 quotes or apply filters in different categories to narrow your search.
Browse all 10,075 quotes or apply filters in different categories to narrow your search.
Ignorance is bliss2 quotes
How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be
When there's no help in truth! — Sophocles · 430 BCI prefer to be unskilled rather than practised in the lore of foretelling ill. — Aeschylus · 465 BCLove2 quotes
Love, unconquerable,
Waster of rich men, keeper
Of warm lights and all-night vigil
In the soft face of a girl:
Sea-wanderer, forest-visitor!
Even the pure immortals cannot escape you,
And mortal man, in his one day's dusk,
Trembles before your glory. — Sophocles · 442 BCLove distills desire upon the eyes,
love brings bewitching grace into the heart
of those he would destroy.
I pray that love may never come to me
with murderous intent,
in rhythms measureless and wild.
Not fire nor stars have stronger bolts
than those of Aphrodite sent
by the hand of Eros, Zeus' child. — Euripides · 428 BCPower of love2 quotes
Love, unconquerable,
Waster of rich men, keeper
Of warm lights and all-night vigil
In the soft face of a girl:
Sea-wanderer, forest-visitor!
Even the pure immortals cannot escape you,
And mortal man, in his one day's dusk,
Trembles before your glory. — Sophocles · 442 BCLove distills desire upon the eyes,
love brings bewitching grace into the heart
of those he would destroy.
I pray that love may never come to me
with murderous intent,
in rhythms measureless and wild.
Not fire nor stars have stronger bolts
than those of Aphrodite sent
by the hand of Eros, Zeus' child. — Euripides · 428 BCTime2 quotes
But ever-ageing Time teaches all things. — Aeschylus · 424 BCTime eases all things. — Sophocles · 430 BCAging1 quote
No man loves like him that's growing old. — Sophocles · 400 BCAppearance vs. reality1 quote
For he does not wish to appear the bravest, but to be the bravest. — Aeschylus · 467 BCBad news1 quote
Nobody likes the man who brings bad news. — Sophocles · 442 BCBearer of bad news1 quote
Nobody likes the man who brings bad news. — Sophocles · 442 BCBeing born1 quote
Not to be born surpasses thought and speech.
The second best is to have seen the light
And then to go back quickly whence we came. — Sophocles · 406 BCBragging and boasting1 quote
For God hates utterly
The bray of bragging tongues. — Sophocles · 442 BCCharacter1 quote
For he does not wish to appear the bravest, but to be the bravest. — Aeschylus · 467 BCConscience1 quote
There is one thing alone
that stands the brunt of life throughout its course:
a quiet conscience. — Euripides · 428 BCDeath as a blessing1 quote
Not to be born surpasses thought and speech.
The second best is to have seen the light
And then to go back quickly whence we came. — Sophocles · 406 BCDiscreet women1 quote
Silence gives the proper grace to women. — Sophocles · 440 BCDoing the right thing1 quote
We know the good, we apprehend it clearly,
but we can't bring it to achievement. — Euripides · 428 BCEffects of grief1 quote
Grief teaches the steadiest minds to waver. — Sophocles · 442 BCEffects of time1 quote
Time eases all things. — Sophocles · 430 BCEnvy1 quote
For few there are among men in whom it is inborn to admire without envy a friend's good fortune. — Aeschylus · 458 BCEnvy of friends1 quote
For few there are among men in whom it is inborn to admire without envy a friend's good fortune. — Aeschylus · 458 BCFilial piety1 quote
Reverence for parents stands written third among the statutes of Justice, to whom honor supreme is due. — Aeschylus · 465 BCFriends1 quote
For few there are among men in whom it is inborn to admire without envy a friend's good fortune. — Aeschylus · 458 BCGifts of God1 quote
Reason is God's crowning gift to man. — Sophocles · 442 BCGod1 quote
Zeus, author of all, worker of all! For what is brought to pass for mortal men save by will of Zeus? What herein is not wrought of god? — Aeschylus · 458 BCGod and man1 quote
Zeus, author of all, worker of all! For what is brought to pass for mortal men save by will of Zeus? What herein is not wrought of god? — Aeschylus · 458 BCGod as first cause1 quote
Zeus, author of all, worker of all! For what is brought to pass for mortal men save by will of Zeus? What herein is not wrought of god? — Aeschylus · 458 BCGrief1 quote
Grief teaches the steadiest minds to waver. — Sophocles · 442 BCGuests and visitors1 quote
For where is goodwill greater than from guest to host? — Aeschylus · 458 BCHospitality1 quote
For where is goodwill greater than from guest to host? — Aeschylus · 458 BCInner peace1 quote
There is one thing alone
that stands the brunt of life throughout its course:
a quiet conscience. — Euripides · 428 BCMothers and sons1 quote
Sons are the anchors of a mother's life. — Sophocles · 400 BC