Ancient Greece

Explore 296 quotes by people from Ancient Greece

Now haste is ever the parent of failure.

Herodotus

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Topic

Haste Business

Author

Herodotus

Source

Histories

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

450 BC 450s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

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

Current Citation

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

The dawn speeds a man on his journey, and speeds him too in his work.

Hesiod

Works and Days

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Topic

Mornings

Author

Hesiod

Source

Works and Days

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem

Language

Greek

Time

700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Hesiod. Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι [Works and Days]. c. 700 BC, l. 579.

Current Citation

Hesiod. "Works and Days." Theogony and Works and Days, translated by M. L. West. Oxford University Press, 2009, l. 579.

Wisdom outweighs any wealth.

Sophocles

Antigone

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Topic

Wisdom

Speaker

Teiresias

Author

Sophocles

Source

Antigone

Medium

Play

Genre

Greek tragedy Tragedy (play)

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 fool learns by suffering.

Hesiod

Works and Days

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Topic

Learning from suffering School of hard knocks Fools

Author

Hesiod

Source

Works and Days

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem

Language

Greek

Time

700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Hesiod. Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι [Works and Days]. c. 700 BC, l. 218.

Current Citation

Hesiod. "Works and Days." Theogony and Works and Days, translated by M. L. West. Oxford University Press, 2009, l. 218.

For famous men have the whole earth as their memorial.

Pericles

Quoted in Funeral Oration, by Thucydides

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Topic

Legacy

Speaker

Pericles

Author

Thucydides

Source

Funeral Oration History of the Peloponnesian War

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Thucydides. The History of the Peloponnesian War. c. 431 BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

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.

Time eases all things.

Sophocles

Oedipus Rex

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Topic

Effects of time Time

Speaker

Creon

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.

A woman takes off her claim to respect along with her garments.

Herodotus

Histories

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Topic

Slut shaming Patriarchy

Speaker

Gyges

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, ch. 8.

Current Citation

Herodotus. The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, ch. 8.

A hidden connection is stronger than an obvious one.

Heraclitus

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Topic

Interconnectedness of all things

Speaker

Heraclitus

Medium

Presocratic fragment Fragment

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

475 BC 470s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Heraclitus. Fragments. 5th century BC, DK B54.

Current Citation

Heraclitus. Fragments, translated by Brooks Haxton. Penguin Classics, 2003.

A 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.

Lysistrata

Lysistrata

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Topic

Women and aging Women

Speaker

Lysistrata

Author

Aristophanes

Source

Lysistrata

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

Greek

Time

414 BC 410s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristophanes. Λυσιστράτη [Lysistrata]. c. 411 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Aristophanes. "Lysistrata." Lysistrata and Other Plays. Penguin Classics, 2008.

Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.

Theophrastus

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

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Topic

Value of time Time

Speaker

Theophrastus

Author

Diogenes Laërtius

Source

The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

400 400s 3rd century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

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

Current Citation

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

Every man is like the company he is wont to keep.

Euripides

Phoenix

More information about this quote

Topic

Influences Man as social animal

Author

Euripides

Source

Phoenix

Language

Greek

Time

400 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Euripides. Phoenix. 5th century BC, fragment 809.

Much learning does not teach understanding.

Heraclitus

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Topic

Education vs. wisdom Education Wisdom

Author

Heraclitus

Medium

Presocratic fragment Fragment

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

6th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Heraclitus. Fragments. 5th century BC, DK B40.

Current Citation

Heraclitus. Fragments, translated by Brooks Haxton. Penguin Classics, 2003.

No man loves like him that's growing old.

Sophocles

Acrisius

More information about this quote

Topic

Aging

Author

Sophocles

Source

Acrisius

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. Acrisius. 5th century BC, fragment 64.

Wait for the wisest of all counsellors, Time.

Pericles

Quoted in Plutarch's Lives, by Plutarch

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Topic

Patience Time

Speaker

Pericles

Author

Plutarch

Source

Plutarch's Lives

Genre

Biography

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Greek

Time

100 100s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pericles. Quoted in "Pericles." Parallel Lives by Plutarch. c. 2nd century BC, ch. 18, sect. 2.

Current Citation

Pericles. Quoted in "Pericles." Parallel Lives by Plutarch. Oxford University Press, 2009, ch. 18, sect. 2.

Now I live in hope, but the end is in the hands of gods.

Pindar

Olympian Odes

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Topic

God is in control

Author

Pindar

Source

Olympian Odes

Medium

Poem

Language

Greek

Time

464 BC 460s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pindar. Olympian Odes. c. 464 BC.

Current Citation

Pindar. The Complete Odes, translated by Anthony Verity. Oxford University Press, 2008.

Not to be born surpasses thought and speech.
The second best is to have seen the light
And then to go back quickly whence we came.

Sophocles

Oedipus at Colonus

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Topic

Being born Death as a blessing

Speaker

Chorus

Author

Sophocles

Source

Oedipus at Colonus

Medium

Play

Genre

Greek tragedy Tragedy (play)

Language

Greek

Time

406 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Sophocles. Οἰδίπους ἐπὶ Κολωνῷ [Oedipus at Colonus]. 401 BC, Festival of Dionysus, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Sophocles. "Oedipus at Colonus." The Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Odeipus at Colonus, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2000.

We know how to speak many falsehoods which resemble real things, but we know, when we will, how to speak true things.

Hesiod

Theogony

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Topic

Lying Telling the truth

Author

Hesiod

Source

Theogony

Medium

Poem

Language

Greek

Time

700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Hesiod. Θεογονία [Theogony]. c. 700 BC, l. 27-28.

Current Citation

Hesiod. "Theogony." Theogony and Works and Days, translated by M. L. West. Oxford University Press, 2009, l. 27-28.

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.

It is the gods' custom to bring low all things of surpassing greatness.

Herodotus

Histories

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Topic

Regression to the mean God and man The gods

Speaker

Artabanus

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. Histories. c. 430 BC, bk. 7.

Current Citation

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