Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.

διόπερ ῥᾷστον ἁπάντων ἐστὶν αὑτὸν ἐξαπατῆσαι: ὃ γὰρ βούλεται, τοῦθ᾽ ἕκαστος καὶ οἴεται

Demosthenes

More information about this quote

Topic

Delusion Credulity Truth

Speaker

Demosthenes

Medium

Speech

Language

Greek

Time

349 BC 340s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Occupation

Politician

From

Greece Europe

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Demosthenes. Olynthiac Three. c. 349 BC, Athens, Greece.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Demosthenes about delusion: “Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes…”
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A quote by Demosthenes about delusion: “Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes…”
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A quote by Demosthenes about delusion: “Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes…”
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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 about Truth

Truthiness. Now I'm sure some of the word police-the wordinistas-over at Webster's are gonna say, "Hey, that's not a word." Well, anybody who knows me knows I'm no fan of dictionaries or reference books...I don't trust books. They're all fact, no heart.

Stephen Colbert

The Colbert Report

More information about this quote
Topic
Truth
Speaker
Stephen Colbert
Source
The Colbert Report
Medium
TV program
Genre
Comedy (TV) Comedy
Language
English
Time
2005 2000s 21st century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

"Truthiness." The Colbert Report, created by Stephen Colbert, season 1, episode 1, Spartina Productions and Busboy Productions and Comedy Partners, 2005.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

Zeus does not bring all men's plans to fulfillment.

Achilles

Quoted in The Iliad, by Homer

Buy The Iliad at Amazon Buy The Iliad at Amazon
Read The Iliad at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
God and man Fate
Speaker
Achilles

Author

Homer
Source
The Iliad
Medium
Poem
Genre
Epic poem
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. 18, l. 328.

Current Citation

Homer. The Iliad, translated by Robert Fitzgerald. Oxford University Press, 2014, bk. 18, l. 328.

Another quote originally in Greek

I should rather labor as another's serf, in the home of a man without fortune, one whose livelihood was meager, than rule over all the departed dead.

Homer

The Odyssey

Buy The Odyssey at Amazon Buy The Odyssey at Amazon
Read The Odyssey at MIT's classics department website
More information about this quote
Topic
Slavery Death

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. 11, l. 489-491.

Current Citation

Homer. The Odyssey, edited by Bernard Knox, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2006, bk. 11, l. 489-491.