Classical antiquity

Explore 1180 quotes from Classical antiquity

The beginning is the most important part of the work.

Socrates

Quoted in Republic, by Plato

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Topic

Getting started

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Republic

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

375 BC 370s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Πολιτεία [Republic], written by Plato. c. 375 BCE.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Republic, written by Plato, translated by Desmond Lee. Penguin Classics, 2007.

How many things I can do without!

Socrates

Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laërtius

On looking at a multitude of goods exposed for sale.

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Topic

Simple living Materialism

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Diogenes Laërtius

Source

Socrates The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

Genre

Biography

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laertius. c. 240 AD, bk. 2, ch. 5.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in The Lives of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius, translated by Pamela Mensch, edited by James Miller. Oxford University Press, 2018, bk. 2, ch. 5.

It is never right to do wrong or to requite wrong with wrong, or when we suffer evil to defend ourselves by doing evil in return.

Socrates

Quoted in Crito, by Plato

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Topic

Eye for an eye Retaliation Revenge Justice

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Crito

Medium

Philosophical dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Precepts and axioms

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Crito. 399 BCE.

Current Citation

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

Make war that we may live in peace.

Aristotle

The Nicomachean Ethics

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Topic

War and peace War Peace

Author

Aristotle

Source

The Nicomachean Ethics

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

Greek

Time

322 BC 320s 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.

A people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their love.

St. Augustine

City of God

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Topic

Nation Community

Author

St. Augustine

Source

City of God

Genre

Philosophical literature Religious literature

Language

Latin

Time

426 420s 5th century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Augustine of Hippo. De civitate Dei contra paganos [On the City of God Against the Pagans]. c. 426, bk. 19, sect. 24.

Current Citation

Augustine of Hippo. City of God, translated by Henry Bettenson. Penguin Classics, 2004, bk. 19, sect. 24.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

James 4:8

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Topic

Closeness to God

Source

James The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Greek

Time

49 40s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (James 4:8).

I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.

Caesar Augustus

Quoted in Lives of the Caesars, by Suetonius

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Topic

Rome

Speaker

Caesar Augustus

Author

Suetonius

Source

Lives of the Caesars

Medium

Biography

Genre

Historical literature

Statement Type

Boast

Language

Latin

Time

121 120s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Augustus, Caesar. Quoted in De vita Caesarum [About the Life of the Caesars], written by Suetonius. c. 121.

Current Citation

Augustus, Caesar. Quoted in The Lives of the Caesars, written by Suetonius, translated by Catharine Edwards. Oxford University Press, 2009.

Rage-Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus's son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses.

Homer

The Iliad

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Author

Homer

Source

The Iliad

Medium

Poem

Genre

Epic poem

Statement Type

Opening lines

Language

Greek

Time

700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Homer. Ἰλιάς [The Iliad], edited by Demetrius Chalcondyles. Florence: Bernardus Nerlius and Demetrius Damilas, 1489, bk. 1, l. 1.

Current Citation

Homer. The Iliad, translated by Robert Fitzgerald. Oxford University Press, 2014, bk. 1, l. 1.

Of all wild creatures, the child is the most intractable.

Plato

Laws

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Topic

Man and animals Boys Teaching children Children

Author

Plato

Source

Laws

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

346 BC 340s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Νόμοι [Laws]. c. 346 BC, bk. 7.

Current Citation

Plato. Laws, translated by Tom Griffith, edited by Malcolm Schofield. Cambridge University Press, 2016, bk. 7.

Laws are silent in time of war.

Cicero

Pro Milone

More information about this quote

Topic

Rule of law Law Legal theory Political theory War

Speaker

Cicero

Source

Pro Milone

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

Latin

Time

52 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Milone [In Defense of Milo]. c. 52 BC, sect. 11.

Current Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Milone [For Milo], translated by D. H. Berry. Oxford University Press, 2009, sect. 11.

If any would not work, neither should he eat.

2nd Thessalonians 3:10

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Topic

Freeloaders

Source

2nd Thessalonians The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Greek

Time

52 50s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (2nd Thessalonians 3:10).

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink.

Isaiah 5:11

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Topic

Alcoholism Alcohol

Source

Isaiah The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

681 BC 680s BC 7th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Isaiah 5:11).

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark.

God

Genesis 6:19

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Topic

Noah's Ark

Speaker

God

Source

Genesis The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

1405 BC 1400s BC 15th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Genesis 6:19).

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Jesus

Matthew 25:13

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Topic

End times

Speaker

Jesus

Source

Gospel of Matthew The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Statement Type

Orders and commands

Language

Greek

Time

60 60s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Matthew 25:13).

But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.

Jesus

John 11:22

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Topic

Prayer

Speaker

Jesus

Source

Gospel of John The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Greek

Time

90 90s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (John 11:22).

Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

God

Exodus 3:5

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Topic

Holiness of God Sacred place

Speaker

God

Source

Exodus The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Statement Type

Orders and commands

Language

Hebrew

Time

1405 BC 1400s BC 15th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Exocus 3:5).

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1st John 1:5

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Topic

Nature of God God

Source

1st John The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Greek

Time

90 90s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (1st John 1:5).

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5

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Topic

Human nature Sin Noah's flood

Source

Genesis The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

1405 BC 1400s BC 15th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Genesis 6:5).

I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

God

Exodus 20:2

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Topic

Deliverance of Israel Liberation

Speaker

God

Source

Exodus The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

1405 BC 1400s BC 15th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Exodus 20:2).

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full.

Ecclesiastes 1:7

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Topic

Ocean and sea

Source

Ecclesiastes The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

Hebrew

Time

931 BC 930s BC 10th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Ecclesiastes 1:7).