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.

βουλοίμην κ᾽ ἐπάρουρος ἐὼν θητευέμεν ἄλλῳ, 490ἀνδρὶ παρ᾽ ἀκλήρῳ, ᾧ μὴ βίοτος πολὺς εἴη, ἢ πᾶσιν νεκύεσσι καταφθιμένοισιν ἀνάσσειν.

Homer

The Odyssey

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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

Occupation

Poet

From

Greece Europe Ancient Greece

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.

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A quote by Homer about slavery: “I should rather labor as another's serf, in the home of a man without fortune, one…”
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A quote by Homer about slavery: “I should rather labor as another's serf, in the home of a man without fortune, one…”
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A quote by Homer about slavery: “I should rather labor as another's serf, in the home of a man without fortune, one…”
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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 by Homer

Of all the creatures that breathe and move across the earth, there is nothing feebler than man.

Homer

The Odyssey

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More information about this quote
Topic
Human frailty Nature of man

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. 18, l. 130.

Current Citation

Homer. The Odyssey, edited by Bernard Knox, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2006, bk. 18, l. 130.

Another quote about Slavery

Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.

Thomas Jefferson

Notes on the State of Virginia

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More information about this quote
Topic
Slavery

Author

Thomas Jefferson
Source
Notes on the State of Virginia
Genre
Political literature
Language
English
Time
1785 1780s 18th century
Era
American Revolutionary Period
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Jefferson, Thomas [published anonymously]. Notes on the State of Virginia. Paris: Philippe Denis Pierres, 1785, query 18.

Current Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. Notes on the State of Virginia, edited by Frank Shuffelton. Penguin Classics, 1998, query 18.

Another quote from the 8th century BC

Between us and excellence, the gods have placed the sweat of our brows.

Hesiod

Works and Days

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More information about this quote
Topic
Hard work Excellence Character Virtue The human condition

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. 289.

Current Citation

Hesiod. "Works and Days." Theogony and Works and Days, translated by M. L. West. Oxford University Press, 2009, l. 289.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

He gave up the ghost.

Luke 23:46

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More information about this quote
Topic
Moment of death Death
Source
Gospel of Luke The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Language
Greek
Time
61 60s 1st century
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Luke 23:46).

Another quote originally in Greek

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Jesus

Matthew 16:25

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More information about this quote
Topic
Martyrdom Salvation
Speaker
Jesus
Source
Gospel of Matthew The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Statement Type
Paradox
Language
Greek
Time
60 60s 1st century
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Matthew 16:25).