4th century BC

Explore 108 quotes from the 4th century BC

You cannot conceive the many without the one.

Plato

Parmenides

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Topic

Monism Philosophical theory

Author

Plato

Source

Parmenides

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

Greek

Time

340 BC 340s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Παρμενίδης [Parmenides]. 4th century BC.

Current Citation

Plato. Parmenides, translated by Andre Schuwer and Richard Rojcewicz. Indiana University Press, 1998.

Misfortune shows those who are not really friends.

Aristotle

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Topic

Adversity Tests of friendship Friend

Author

Aristotle

Source

Eudemian Ethics

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Ἠθικὰ Εὐδήμεια [Eudemian Ethics]. c. 350 BC.

Current Citation

Aristotle. The Eudemian Ethics, translated by Anthony Kenny. Oxford University Press, 2011.

He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must either be a beast or a god.

Aristotle

Politics

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Topic

Man as social animal Man and animals

Author

Aristotle

Source

Politics

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aristotle. Politics. 4th century BC, bk. 1.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Politics, translated by R. F. Stalley and Sir Ernest Barker. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 1.

Time crumbles things; everything grows old under the power of time and is forgotten through the lapse of time.

Aristotle

Physics

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Topic

Ravages of time Effects of time Time

Author

Aristotle

Source

Physics

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Φυσικὴ ἀκρόασις Phusike akroasis [Physics]. 4th century BC.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Physics, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008.

Who has knowledge of what is to be dreaded and what is not—the man whom I call courageous?

Nicias

Quoted in Laches, by Plato

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Topic

Courage vs. fear Courage

Speaker

Nicias

Author

Plato

Source

Laches

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Statement Type

Definition

Language

Greek

Time

380 BC 380s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Nicias. Quoted in Λάχης [Laches], written by Plato. c. 348 BC, sect. 195d.

Current Citation

Nicias. Quoted in "Laches." Plato: Complete Works, edited by John M. Cooper and D. S. Hutchinson. Hackett Publishing, 1997, sect. 195d.

It is perfectly certain that the soul is immortal and imperishable, and our souls will actually exist in another world.

Socrates

Quoted in Phaedo, by Plato

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Topic

The soul The afterlife

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Phaedo

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

347 BC 340s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Φαίδων [Phaedo], written by Plato. c. 360 BC.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in "Phaedo." Plato: Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo, written by Plato, translated by G. M. A. Grube and John M. Cooper. Hackett Publishing, 2002.

It is the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most men live only for the gratification of it. The beginning of reform is not so much to equalize property as to train the noble sort of natures not to desire more, and to prevent the lower from getting more.

Aristotle

Politics

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Topic

Acquisitiveness Desire Materialism Attachment (Buddhism) Redistribution of resources

Author

Aristotle

Source

Politics

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Politics. 4th century BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Politics, translated by R. F. Stalley and Sir Ernest Barker. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

The very best thing for a person is health,
Second good looks and third honest wealth,
the fourth is to be in the prime of your life
With people around you who cause you no strife.

Socrates

Quoted in Gorgias, by Plato

An ancient Greek drinking song.

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Topic

The good life

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Gorgias

Medium

Philosophical dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

Greek

Time

4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Anonymous. Quoted in Gorgias, written by Plato. Oxford University Press, 2008. Originally a drinking song by an anonymous source.

Death is, you see, one or the other of two things: either to be dead is to be non-existent, as it were, and a dead person has no awareness of anything at all; or else, as we are told, the soul undergoes some sort of transformation, or exchanging of this present world for another.

Socrates

Quoted in Apology, by Plato

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Topic

Mystery of death The afterlife Death Oblivion The soul

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Apology

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους [Apology of Socrates]. Speech of legal self-defence which Socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption. 399 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Plato. "Apology." Plato: Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2017.

The great man is he who does not lose his child's heart.

Mencius

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Topic

Great men Man and child

Author

Mencius

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Chinese

Time

300 BC 300s BC 4th century BC

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Mencius. Mengzi. c. 300 BC, bk. 4.

Current Citation

Mencius. Mencius, translated by D. C. Lau. Penguin Classics, 2005, bk. 4.

The least initial deviation from the truth is multiplied later a thousandfold.

Aristotle

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Topic

Butterfly effect Little things make a big difference

Author

Aristotle

Source

On the Heavens

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Aristotle. Περὶ οὐρανοῦ [On the Heavens]. c. 350 BC.

Current Citation

Aristotle. De Caelo, translated by C. D. C. Reeve. Hackett Publishing, 2020.

For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure, as to restriction, are most suitable.

Hippocrates

More information about this quote

Topic

Medicine

Author

Hippocrates

Source

Aphorisms

Language

Greek

Time

370 BC 370s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Hippocrates. Aphorisms. c. 370 BC, sect. 1, pt. 6.

Current Citation

Hippocrates. The Aphorisms. Classics of Medicine Library, 1982, sect. 1, pt. 6.

When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit, because their strength is not adequate to resist.

Mencius

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Topic

Use of force Submission

Author

Mencius

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Chinese

Time

300 BC 300s BC 4th century BC

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Mencius. Mengzi. c. 300 BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Mencius. Mencius, translated by D. C. Lau. Penguin Classics, 2005, bk. 2.

Well, my art of midwifery is in most respects like theirs; but differs, in that I attend men and not women, and I look after their souls when they are in labor, and not after their bodies: and the triumph of my art is in thoroughly examining whether the thought which the mind of the young man brings forth is a false idol or a noble and true birth.

Socrates

Quoted in Theaetetus, by Plato

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Topic

Nature of philosophy Philosophy

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Theaetetus

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Greek

Time

369 BC 360s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Θεαίτητος [Theaetetus], written by Plato. c. 369 BC.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Theaetetus, written by Plato, translated by John McDowell. Oxford University Press, 2014.

The people turn to a benevolent rule as water flows downwards, and as wild beasts fly to the wilderness.

Mencius

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Topic

Political theory

Author

Mencius

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Chinese

Time

300 BC 300s BC 4th century BC

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Mencius. Mengzi. c. 300 BC, bk. 4.

Current Citation

Mencius. Mencius, translated by D. C. Lau. Penguin Classics, 2005, bk. 4.

Prayer is indeed good, but while calling on the gods a man should himself lend a hand.

Hippocrates

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Topic

Prayer Taking initiative

Author

Hippocrates

Source

Regimen

Language

Greek

Time

370 BC 370s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Hippocrates. Regimen. c. 4th century BC, regimen 4, sect. 87.

Current Citation

Hippocrates. "A Regimen for Health." Hippocratic Writings, translated by J. Chadwick and W. N. Mann, et al. Penguin Classics, 1984.

Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states.

Demosthenes

More information about this quote

Topic

Foreign policy International politics Political theory Politics

Speaker

Demosthenes

Medium

Speech

Language

Greek

Time

343 BC 340s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Demosthenes. 2nd Philippic. c. 44 BC, Rome, Italy.

Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.

Demosthenes

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Topic

Delusion Credulity Truth

Speaker

Demosthenes

Medium

Speech

Language

Greek

Time

349 BC 340s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Demosthenes. Olynthiac Three. c. 349 BC, Athens, Greece.

All breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, not tormented, nor driven away. This is the pure, unchangeable, eternal law.

Jaina Sutras

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Topic

Man and animals

Source

Jaina Sutras

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Statement Type

Precepts and axioms

Language

Ardhamagadhi

Time

500 BC 500s BC 4th century BC

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

The Akaranga Sutra. c. 4th century BC, lecture 4, lesson 1.

Current Citation

Jaina Sutras, part 1, translated by Herman Jacobi. Gyan Publishing House, 2021, Akaranga sutra, lecture 4, lesson 1.

Men are good in but one way, but bad in many.

Aristotle

The Nicomachean Ethics

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Topic

Human nature Nature of man

Author

Aristotle

Source

The Nicomachean Ethics

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια, Ēthika Nikomacheia [Nicomachean Ethics]. c. 322 BC.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics, translated by Terence Irwin. Hackett Publishing, 2019, bk. 2.