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Philosophical literature52 quotes
Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder. — Socrates · 400 BCThe unexamined life is not worth living. — Socrates · 399 BCThe true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention. — Socrates · 375 BCDemocracy passes into despotism. — Socrates · 375 BCFor our discussion is about no ordinary matter, but on the right way to conduct our lives. — Socrates · 375 BCFor the one thing even God cannot do is change the past. — AgathonAll 52 quotes →Tragedy (play)32 quotes
For he does not wish to appear the bravest, but to be the bravest. — Aeschylus · 467 BCMere cleverness is not wisdom. — Euripides · 405 BCFor God hates utterly
The bray of bragging tongues. — Sophocles · 442 BCReason is God's crowning gift to man. — Sophocles · 442 BCHow dreadful knowledge of the truth can be
When there's no help in truth! — Sophocles · 430 BCThe greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves. — Sophocles · 430 BCAll 32 quotes →Greek tragedy28 quotes
For he does not wish to appear the bravest, but to be the bravest. — Aeschylus · 467 BCFor God hates utterly
The bray of bragging tongues. — Sophocles · 442 BCReason is God's crowning gift to man. — Sophocles · 442 BCHow dreadful knowledge of the truth can be
When there's no help in truth! — Sophocles · 430 BCThe greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves. — Sophocles · 430 BCFor few there are among men in whom it is inborn to admire without envy a friend's good fortune. — Aeschylus · 458 BCAll 28 quotes →Historical literature19 quotes
Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous. — Pericles · 430 BCOld to grow, but ever learning. — Solon · 119We are lovers of beauty without extravagance, and lovers of wisdom without unmanliness. Wealth is to us is not mere material for vainglory but an opportunity for achievement; and poverty we think it no disgrace to acknowledge but a real degradation to make no effort to overcome. — Pericles · 430 BCYou know as well as we do that right, as the word goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must. — Thucydides · 404 BCHaving the fewest wants, I am nearest to the gods. — Socrates · 240For a city consists of men, and not of walls nor ships empty of men. — Nicias · 404 BCAll 19 quotes →Greek theater13 quotes
There are many wonderful things, and nothing is more wonderful than man. — Sophocles · 441 BCThe old are in a second childhood. — Aristophanes · 423 BCThese impossible women! How they do get around us! The poet was right: can't live with them, or without them! — Aristophanes · 411 BCMy tongue swore, but my mind's unsworn. — Euripides · 428 BCThe happiest life consists in ignorance. — Sophocles · 442 BCJustice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. — Aeschylus · 458 BCAll 13 quotes →Tragic play9 quotes
There are many wonderful things, and nothing is more wonderful than man. — Sophocles · 441 BCMy tongue swore, but my mind's unsworn. — Euripides · 428 BCThe happiest life consists in ignorance. — Sophocles · 442 BCJustice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. — Aeschylus · 458 BCNeither anarchy nor tyranny—this I counsel my citizens to support and respect, and not to drive fear wholly out of the city. For who among mortals, if he fears nothing, is righteous? — Aeschylus · 458 BCWho told them
that they were dead. — AeschylusAll 9 quotes →Political speech6 quotes
We are lovers of beauty without extravagance, and lovers of wisdom without unmanliness. Wealth is to us is not mere material for vainglory but an opportunity for achievement; and poverty we think it no disgrace to acknowledge but a real degradation to make no effort to overcome. — Pericles · 430 BCBut the bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding go out to meet it. — Pericles · 430 BCOur constitution is named a democracy, because it is in the hands not of the few but of the many. But our laws secure equal justice for all in their private disputes, and our public opinion welcomes and honors talent in every branch of achievement, not for any sectional reason but on grounds of excellence alone. And as we give free play to all in our public life, so we care the same spirit into our daily relations with one another... Open and friendly in our private intercourse, in our public acts we keep strictly within the control of law. We acknowledge the restraint of authority, and to the laws, more especially to those which offer protection to the oppressed and those unwritten ordinances whose transgression brings admitted shame. — Pericles · 430 BCFix your eyes on the greatness of Athens as you have it before you day by day, fall in love with her, and when you feel her great, remember that this greatness was won by men with courage, with knowledge of their duty, and with a sense of honor in action... So they gave their bodies to the commonwealth and received each for his own memory, praise that will never die, and with it the grandest of all memorials, not that in which their mortal bones are laid, but a home in the minds of men, where their glory remains fresh to stir to speech or action as the occasion comes fresh to stir to speech or action as the occasion comes by. For the whole earth is the memorial of famous men; and their story is not graven only on stone over their native earth, but lives on far away, without visible symbol, woven into the stuff of other men's lives. — Pericles · 430 BCWe secure our friends not by accepting favors, but by doing them. — Pericles · 430 BCFor famous men have the whole earth as their memorial. — Pericles · 430 BCComedic play3 quotes
The old are in a second childhood. — Aristophanes · 423 BCThese impossible women! How they do get around us! The poet was right: can't live with them, or without them! — Aristophanes · 411 BCYou have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding and a vulgar manner. — Aristophanes · 424 BCComedy (play)3 quotes
Mankind, fleet of life, like tree leaves, weak creatures of clay, unsubstantial as shadows, wingless, ephemeral, wretched, mortal and dreamlike. — Aristophanes · 424 BCWhen men drink, then they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends. Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever. — Aristophanes · 424 BCA woman's time of opportunity is short, and if she doesn't seize it, no one wants to marry her, and she sits watching for omens. — Aristophanes · 414 BCBiography2 quotes
How many things I can do without! — Socrates · 399 BCWait for the wisest of all counsellors, Time. — Pericles · 100