Quotes to inspire and reflect

As for me, except for an occasional heart attack, I feel as young as I ever did.

Obtain from yourself all that makes complaining useless. No longer implore from others what you yourself can obtain.

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

Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.

Do not seek evil gains; evil gains are the equivalent of disaster.

A bad neighbor is a misfortune, as much as a good one is a great blessing.

Often an entire city has suffered because of an evil man.

He harms himself who does harm to another, and the evil plan is most harmful to the planner.

Dreams surely are difficult, confusing, and not everything in them is brought to pass for mankind. For fleeting dreams have two gates: one is fashioned of horn and one of ivory. Those which pass through the one of sawn ivory are deceptive, bringing tidings which come to naught, but those which issue from the one of polished horn bring true results when a mortal sees them.

Nothing feebler than a man does the earth raise up, of all the things which breathe and move on the earth, for he believes that he will never suffer evil in the future, as long as the gods give him success and he flourishes in his strength; but when the blessed gods bring sorrows too to pass, even these he bears, against his will, with steadfast spirit, for the thoughts of earthly men are like the day which the father of gods and men brings upon them.

The gods, likening themselves to all kinds of strangers, go in various disguises from city to city, observing the wrongdoing and the righteousness of men.

Even his griefs are a joy long after to one that remembers all that he wrought and endured.

The wine urges me on, the bewitching wine, which sets even a wise man to singing and to laughing gently and rouses him up to dance and brings forth words which were better unspoken.

It is equally wrong to speed a guest who does not want to go, and to keep one back who is eager. You ought to make welcome the present guest, and send forth the one who wishes to go.

It is tedious to tell again tales already plainly told.

Among all men on the earth bards have a share of honor and reverence, because the muse has taught them songs and loves the race of bards.

So it is that the gods do not give all men gifts of grace - neither good looks nor intelligence nor eloquence.

Evil deeds do not prosper; the slow man catches up with the swift.

We are quick to flare up, we race of men on the earth.

All strangers and beggars are from Zeus, and a gift, though small, is precious.

A small rock holds back a great wave.

May the gods grant you all things which your heart desires, and may they give you a husband and a home and gracious concord, for there is nothing greater and better than this -when a husband and wife keep a household in oneness of mind, a great woe to their enemies and joy to their friends, and win high renown.

The minds of the everlasting gods are not changed suddenly.

All men have need of the gods.

A young man is embarrassed to question an older one.

Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.

You ought not to practice childish ways, since you are no longer that age.

For rarely are sons similar to their fathers: most are worse, and a few are better than their fathers.

By their own follies they perished, the fools.

Look now how mortals are blaming the gods, for they say that evils come from us, but in fact they themselves have woes beyond their share because of their own follies.

Thus have the gods spun the thread for wretched mortals: that they live in grief while they themselves are without cares; for two jars stand on the floor of Zeus of the gifts which he gives, one of evils and another of blessings.

The fates have given mankind a patient soul.

It is entirely seemly for a young man killed in battle to lie mangled by the bronze spear. In his death all things appear fair. But when dogs shame the gray head and gray chin and nakedness of an old man killed, it is the most piteous thing that happens among wretched mortals.

Miserable mortals who, like leaves, at one moment flame with life, eating the produce of the land, and at another moment weakly perish.

I too shall lie in the dust when I am dead, but now let me win noble renown.

Cleanliness and order are not matters of instinct; they are matters of education, and like most great things, you must cultivate a taste for them.

Once harm has been done, even a fool understands it.

The outcome of the war is in our hands; the outcome of words is in the council.

It is not unseemly for a man to die fighting in defense of his country.

Of men who have a sense of honor, more come through alive than are slain, but from those who flee comes neither glory nor any help.

You will certainly not be able to take the lead in all things yourself, for to one man a god has given deeds of war, and to another the dance, to another lyre and song, and in another wide-sounding Zeus puts a good mind.

It is not possible to fight beyond your strength, even if you strive.

There is a fullness of all things, even of sleep and love.

There is a strength in the union even of very sorry men.

Even when someone battles hard, there is an equal portion for one who lingers behind, and in the same honor are held both the coward and the brave man; the idle man and he who has done much meet death alike.

It was built against the will of the immortal gods, and so it did not last for long.

A generation of men is like a generation of leaves; the wind scatters some leaves upon the ground, while others the burgeoning wood brings forth - and the season of spring comes on. So of men one generation springs forth and another ceases.

He lives not long who battles with the immortals, nor do his children prattle about his knees when he has come back from battle and the dread fray.