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.

μὴ φῦναι τὸν ἅπαντα νικᾷ λόγον: τὸ δ᾽, ἐπεὶ φανῇ,
βῆναι κεῖθεν ὅθεν περ ἥκει,
πολὺ δεύτερον, ὡς τάχιστα.

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

Occupation

Playwright Writer

From

Greece Europe Ancient Greece

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.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Sophocles about being born: “Not to be born surpasses thought and speech. The second best is to have…”
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A quote by Sophocles about being born: “Not to be born surpasses thought and speech. The second best is to have…”
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A quote by Sophocles about being born: “Not to be born surpasses thought and speech. The second best is to have…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote from the 5th century BC

Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated.

Sun Tzu

The Art of War

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More information about this quote
Topic
Self-knowledge Enemies

Author

Sun Tzu
Source
The Art of War
Medium
Treatise
Genre
Military treatise
Statement Type
Advice
Language
Chinese
Time
475 BC 470s BC 5th century BC
Authentication Score 0
Original Citation

Sun Tzu. 孫子兵法 [The Art of War]. c. 475 BC, ch. 3.

Current Citation

Sun Tzu. The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life, translated by John Minford. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 3.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Apostle Paul

1st Corinthians 13:11

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More information about this quote
Topic
Being a man Growing up Maturity

Author

Apostle Paul
Source
1st Corinthians The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Language
Greek
Time
55 50s 1st century
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (1st Corinthians 13:11).

Another quote originally in Greek

All men have need of the Gods.

Homer

The Odyssey

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More information about this quote
Topic
God and man God Human nature

Author

Homer
Source
The Odyssey
Medium
Poem
Genre
Epic poem
Language
Greek
Time
700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Homer. Ὀδύσσεια [Odyssey]. c. 710 BC, bk. 3, l. 48.

Current Citation

Homer. The Odyssey, edited by Bernard Knox, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2006, bk. 3, l. 48.