Being born

Explore 3 quotes about Being born

Not to be born is, past all prizing, best.

Sophocles

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More information about this quote

Topic

Being born The human condition

Author

Sophocles

Source

Oedipus at Colonus

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragic play Greek theater

Language

Greek

Time

406 BC 400s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

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.

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

Buy Oedipus at Colonus at Amazon Buy Oedipus at Colonus at Amazon
Read Oedipus at Colonus at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

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.

The best of all things for earthly men is not to be born and not to see the beams of the bright sun; but if born, then as quickly as possible to pass the gates of Hades, and to lie deep buried.

Theognis of Megara

Elegies

More information about this quote

Topic

Being born The human condition

Author

Theognis of Megara

Source

Elegies

Medium

Poem

Language

Greek

Time

545 BC 540s BC 6th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Theognis. Elegies. c. 541 BC.

Current Citation

Theognis. "Elegies." Hesiod and Theognis: Theogony, Works and Days, and Elegies, translated by Dorothea Wender. Penguin Classics, 1976.