5th century BC

Explore 159 quotes from the 5th century BC

Donkeys would prefer refuse to gold.

Heraclitus

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Topic

Donkeys Man and animals Preferences

Author

Heraclitus

Medium

Presocratic fragment Fragment

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Heraclitus. Fragments. 5th century BC, F17 - DK B9.

Current Citation

Heraclitus. "Heraclitus of Ephesus." The First Philosophers: The Presocratics and Sophists, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2009.

Our ship of state, which recent storms have threatened to destroy, has come safely to harbor at last.

Sophocles

Antigone

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Topic

Political upheaval

Speaker

Creon

Author

Sophocles

Source

Antigone

Medium

Play

Genre

Greek tragedy Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Greek

Time

442 BC 440s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Sophocles. Ἀντιγόνη [Antigone]. c. 441 BC, Festival of Dionysus, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Sophocles. "Antigone." The Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone, translated by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Mariner Books, 2002.

The man who has planned badly, if fortune is on his side, may have had a stroke of luck; but his plan was a bad one nonetheless.

Herodotus

Histories

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Topic

Bad decisions Good luck Fortune

Speaker

Artabanos

Author

Herodotus

Source

Histories

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Herodotus. Ἱστορίαι [Histories]. c. 430 BC, bk. 7, sect. 10.

Current Citation

Herodotus. The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 7, sect. 10.

It would not be better if things happened to men just as they wish.

Heraclitus

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Topic

Wish fulfillment Adversity

Author

Heraclitus

Medium

Presocratic fragment Fragment

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Heraclitus. Fragments. 5th century BC, DK B110.

Current Citation

Heraclitus. "Heraclitus of Ephesus." The First Philosophers: The Presocratics and Sophists, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2009, DK B110.

Man, like a light in the night, is kindled and put out.

Heraclitus

More information about this quote

Topic

Ephemeral nature of life The human condition

Author

Heraclitus

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

480 BC 480s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Heraclitus. On the Universe. c. 500 BC, no. 77.

Current Citation

Heraclitus. "On the Universe." Hippocrates, translated by W. H. S. Jones. Vol. 4, Harvard University Press, 1931, no. 77.

Wine is wont to show the mind of a man.

Theognis of Megara

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Topic

In vino veritas Wine Alcohol

Author

Theognis of Megara

Source

Elegies

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

Greek

Time

485 BC 480s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Theognis. The Maxims of Theognis the Megarean. c. 485 BC.

Leave no stone unturned.

Euripides

Children of Hercules

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Topic

Taking care Thoroughness

Speaker

Eurystheus

Author

Euripides

Source

Children of Hercules

Medium

Play

Genre

Greek tragedy Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Euripides. Herakles' Children [Children of Heracles]. c. 430 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Euripides. "The Children of Hercules." Euripides I: Alcestis; Medea; The Children of Heracles; Hippolytus, edited and translated by Mark Griffith, Glenn W. Most, David Grene, and Richmond Lattimore. University of Chicago Press, 2013.

A woman's vows I write upon the wave.

Sophocles

Unknown drama

More information about this quote

Author

Sophocles

Source

Unknown drama

Medium

Play

Genre

Greek tragedy Tragedy (play)

Language

Greek

Time

400 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Sophocles. Unnamed drama. 5th century BC, fragment 694.

Mankind, fleet of life, like tree leaves, weak creatures of clay, unsubstantial as shadows, wingless, ephemeral, wretched, mortal and dreamlike.

Aristophanes

Birds

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Topic

Ephemeral nature of life

Author

Aristophanes

Source

Birds

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

Greek

Time

424 BC 420s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristophanes. Ὄρνιθες [Birds]. c. 414, Dionysia, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Aristophanes. "Birds." Aristophanes: The Complete Plays, translated by Paul Roche. New American Library/Berkley, 2005.

The most hateful torment for men is to have knowledge of everything but power over nothing.

Herodotus

Histories

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Topic

Knowledge Powerlessness Power

Author

Herodotus

Source

Histories

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Herodotus. Ἱστορίαι [Histories]. c. 430 BC, bk. 9. sect. 16.

Current Citation

Herodotus. The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 9, sect. 16.

No one is stupid enough to prefer war to peace; in peace sons bury their fathers and in war fathers bury their sons. However, I suppose the god must have wanted this to happen.

Herodotus

Histories

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Topic

War and peace War Peace

Speaker

Croesus

Author

Herodotus

Source

Histories

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Herodotus. Ἱστορίαι [Histories]. c. 430 BC, bk. 1, sect. 87.

Current Citation

Herodotus. The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, sect. 87.

The meek shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:11

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Topic

The meek

Source

Psalms The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

450 BC 450s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Psalm 37:11).

Of the gods we believe, and of men we know, that by a necessary law of their nature they rule wherever they can.

Thucydides

History of the Peloponnesian War

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Topic

Nature of God

Author

Thucydides

Source

History of the Peloponnesian War

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

404 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Thucydides. The History of the Peloponnesian War. c. 431 BC, bk. 5.

Current Citation

Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 5.

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psalm 30:5

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Topic

God's wrath God's favor God Things get better

Source

Psalms The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

450 BC 450s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Psalm 30:5).

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

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Topic

Joy

Speaker

Nehemiah

Source

Nehemiah The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

400 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Nehemiah 8:10).

Not snow, no, nor rain, nor heat, nor night keeps them from accomplishing their appointed courses with all speed.

Herodotus

Histories

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Topic

Overcoming obstacles

Author

Herodotus

Source

Histories

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Herodotus. Ἱστορίαι [Histories]. c. 430 BC, bk. 8, ch. 98.

Current Citation

Herodotus. The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 8, ch. 98.

For few there are among men in whom it is inborn to admire without envy a friend's good fortune.

Aeschylus

Agamemnon

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Topic

Envy of friends Envy Friends

Speaker

Agamemnon

Author

Aeschylus

Source

Agamemnon

Medium

Play

Genre

Greek tragedy Tragedy (play)

Language

Greek

Time

458 BC 450s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aeschylus. Agamemnon. 458 BCE, The Dionysia, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Aeschylus. "Agamemnon." The Oresteia: Agamemnon; The Libation Bearers; The Eumenides, edited and translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 1984.

Our love of what is beautiful does not lead to extravagance; our love of the things of the mind does not make us soft.

Pericles

Quoted in Funeral Oration, by Thucydides

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Topic

Athens

Speaker

Pericles

Author

Thucydides

Source

Funeral Oration History of the Peloponnesian War

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pericles. Quoted in The History of the Peloponnesian War. c. 431 BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Pericles. Quoted in The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

In view of that, conceal nothing! For all things are unfolded by all-seeing and all-hearing time.

Sophocles

More information about this quote

Topic

Forthrightness Openness

Author

Sophocles

Source

Hipponous

Medium

Play

Genre

Greek theater

Language

Greek

Time

468 BC 460s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Sophocles. "Hipponous." Fragments. c. 468 BC, frag. 301.

Current Citation

Sophocles. "Hipponous." Fragments, edited and translated by Hugh Lloyd-Jones. Harvard University Press, 1996, frag. 301.

The tyrant is a child of Pride
Who drinks from his great sickening cup
Recklessness and vanity,
Until from his high crest headlong
He plummets to the dust of hope.

Sophocles

Oedipus Rex

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Topic

Tyrants

Speaker

Chorus

Author

Sophocles

Source

Oedipus Rex

Medium

Play

Genre

Greek tragedy Tragedy (play)

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. c. 429 BC, Theatre of Dionysus, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Sophocles. "Oedipus Rex." The Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone, translated by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Mariner Books, 2002.