Africa

Explore 72 quotes by people from Africa

Human beings are perhaps never more frightening than when they are convinced beyond doubt that they are right.

Laurens van der Post

More information about this quote

Topic

Certainty

Author

Laurens van der Post

Source

Lost World of the Kalahari

Genre

Travel writing

Language

English

Time

1958 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Post, Laurens van der. The Lost World of the Kalahari. William Morrow, 1958, ch. 3.

Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud...Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another.

Nelson Mandela

More information about this quote

Topic

Apartheid

Speaker

Nelson Mandela

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1994 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Mandela, Nelson. "Inaugural Address." 10 May 1994, Union Buildings, Pretoria, South Africa, Africa.

A law that is not just does not seem to me to be a law.

St. Augustine

More information about this quote

Topic

Unjust laws Law

Author

St. Augustine

Source

On Free Choice of the Will

Medium

Essay

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

389 380s 4th century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Augustine. De libero arbitrio voluntatis [On Free Choice of the Will]. c. 389, 1.5.11.33.

Current Citation

Augustine. "On the Free Choice of the Will." Augustine: On the Free Choice of the Will, On Grace and Free Choice, and Other Writings, edited by Peter King. Cambridge University Press, 2010, 1.5.11.33.

God became man so that man might become God.

Athanasius

On the Incarnation

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More information about this quote

Topic

God and man

Author

Athanasius

Source

On the Incarnation

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Greek

Time

318 310s 4th century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Athanasius of Alexandria. De Incarnatione [On the Incarnation]. c. 318.

Current Citation

Athanasius. On the Incarnation: Saint Athanasius. St. Vladimir's Serminary Press, 2012.

Some people ask, "What if the sky were to fall?"

Terence

The Self-Tormentor

More information about this quote

Topic

Pessimism

Speaker

Syrus

Author

Terence

Source

The Self-Tormentor

Medium

Play

Language

Latin

Time

163 BC 160s BC 2nd century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Terence. Heauton Timorumenos [The Self-Tormentor]. c. 163 BC, act 4, sc. 3.

Current Citation

Terence. "The Self-Tormentor." The Comedies, translated by Betty Radice. Penguin Classics, 1976.

One principle must make the universe a single complex living creature, one from all.

Plotinus

Enneads

More information about this quote

Topic

Monism The universe

Author

Plotinus

Source

Enneads

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

270 270s 3rd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plotinus. The Six Enneads. c. 270, bk. 2, treatise 3.

Current Citation

Plotinus. The Enneads, edited by Lloyd P. Gerson, translated by George Boys-Stones, et. al. Cambridge University Press, 2018, bk. 2, treatise 3.

Out of the frying pan into the fire.

Tertullian

On the Flesh of Christ

More information about this quote

Topic

Bad to worse

Author

Tertullian

Source

On the Flesh of Christ

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Latin

Time

206 200s 3rd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Tertullian. De Carne Christi [On the Flesh of Christ]. c. 206, sect. 6.

It is to believed because it is absurd.

Tertullian

On the Flesh of Christ

More information about this quote

Topic

Christianity Faith The absurd

Author

Tertullian

Source

On the Flesh of Christ

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Latin

Time

206 200s 3rd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Tertullian. De Carne Christi [On the Flesh of Christ]. c. 206, sect. 5.

Lovers' quarrels are the renewal of love.

Terence

The Girl from Andros

More information about this quote

Topic

Reconciliation Relationship challenges Love

Speaker

Chremes

Author

Terence

Source

The Girl from Andros

Medium

Play

Language

Latin

Time

166 BC 160s BC 2nd century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Terence. Andria [The Woman from Andros]. 166 BC, Rome, Italy.

Current Citation

Terence. Andria, edited by Sander M. Goldberg. Cambridge University Press, 2023.

There are vicissitudes in all things.

Terence

The Eunuch

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More information about this quote

Topic

Randomness

Speaker

Parmeno

Author

Terence

Source

The Eunuch

Medium

Play

Language

Latin

Time

161 BC 160s BC 2nd century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Terence. Eunuchus [The Eunuch]. 161 BC, Megalesian Games, Rome, Italy, act 2, sc. 2.

It should be known that at the beginning of a dynasty, taxation yields a large revenue from small assessments. At the end of a dynasty, taxation yields a small revenue from large assessments.

Ibn Khaldun

More information about this quote

Topic

Taxes

Author

Ibn Khaldun

Source

The Muqaddimah

Language

Arabic

Time

1377 1370s 14th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Khaldun, Ibn. مقدّمة ابن خلدون [The Muqaddimah]. 1377, bk. 1, ch. 3, sect. 36.

I know the disposition of women: when you will, they won't; when you won't, they set their hearts upon you of their own inclination.

Terence

The Eunuch

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Topic

Men and women

Speaker

Gnatho

Author

Terence

Source

The Eunuch

Medium

Play

Language

Latin

Time

161 BC 160s BC 2nd century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Terence. Eunuchus [The Eunuch]. 161 BC, Megalesian Games, Rome, Italy, act 4, sc. 7.

I am angry. We should all be angry. Anger has a long history of bringing about positive change.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

We Should All Be Feminists

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More information about this quote

Topic

Anger in politics Anger Progress Politics Activism

Author

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Source

We Should All Be Feminists

Medium

Essay

Genre

Feminist literature

Language

English

Time

2014 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. We Should All Be Feminists. Fourth Estate, 2014.

During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in har¬ mony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.

Nelson Mandela

More information about this quote

Topic

Activism Anti-colonialism Anti-imperialism Equality

Speaker

Nelson Mandela

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Language

English

Time

1964 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

There was never a great man who had not a great mother.

Olive Schreiner

The Story of an African Farm

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More information about this quote

Topic

Mothers and sons

Author

Olive Schreiner

Source

The Story of an African Farm

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1883 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Schreiner, Olive [published as Ralph Iron]. The Story of an African Farm. Chapman & Hall, 1883, pt. 2, ch. 4.

Current Citation

Schreiner, Olive. The Story of an African Farm. Oxford University Press, 2009, pt. 2, ch. 4.

Everything that is hard to attain is easily assailed by the generality of men.

Ptolemy

Tetrabiblos

More information about this quote

Topic

Envy

Author

Ptolemy

Source

Tetrabiblos

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

168 160s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Ptolemy, Claudius. Τετράβιβλος [Tetrabiblios]. c. 150, bk. 1.

The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you they are not big enough.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Read this speech at harvard.edu

More information about this quote

Topic

Thinking big Goals Dreams

Speaker

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Source

2011 Harvard commencement address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Commencement address

Language

English

Time

2011 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Sirleaf, Ellen Johnson. Commencement speech. Commencement cermony. 26 May 2011, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.

The Lord says in the gospel; "I am the Truth." He does not say "I am custom." Therefore, when the truth is made manifest, custom must give way to truth.

Libosus of Vaga

Quoted in On Baptism, Against the Donatists, by Augustine of Hippo

More information about this quote

Topic

Truth Custom and convention Moral absolutism Moral theory Morality

Speaker

Libosus of Vaga

Author

Augustine of Hippo

Source

On Baptism, Against the Donatists

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Latin

Time

400 400s 5th century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Libosus of Vaga. Quoted in De Baptismo Contra Donatistas [On Baptism, Against the Donatists]. c. 400, bk. 3, ch. 6, sect. 9.

The Dead Sea in the Middle East receives freshwater, but it has no outlet, so it doesn't pass the water out. It receives beautiful water from the rivers, and the water goes dank. I mean, it just goes bad. And that's why it is the Dead Sea. It receives and does not give. In the end, generosity is the best way of becoming more, more, and more joyful.

Desmond Tutu

More information about this quote

Topic

Generosity

Speaker

Desmond Tutu

Language

English

Time

2016 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Tutu, Desmond and Tenzin Gyatso and Dalai Lama XIV. The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. Cornerstone Publishers, 2016.

Do not be arrogant because of your knowledge, but confer with the ignorant man as with the learned... Good speech is more hidden than malachite, yet it is found in the possession of women slaves at the millstones.

Ptahhotep

The Maxims of Ptahhotep

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More information about this quote

Topic

Learning from others Curiosity Appearance vs. reality

Author

Ptahhotep

Source

The Maxims of Ptahhotep

Genre

Wisdom literature

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Egyptian/Hieroglypics

Time

2375 BC 2370s BC 24th century BC

Era

Egyptian Middle Kingdom

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Ptahhotep. The Maxims of Ptahhotep. c. 2375, maxim 1.