Quotes to inspire and reflect

Who knows whether living is dying, and breathing Is eating, and sleeping is a wool blanket?

Shall I crack any of those old jokes, master, At which the audience never fail to laugh?

Brekekekex, ko-ax, ko-ax.

These impossible women! How they do get around us! The poet was right: can’t live with them, or without them! 3

There’s nothing worse in the world than shameless woman—save some other woman.

There is no animal more invincible than a woman, nor fire either, nor any wildcat so ruthless.

A woman’s time of opportunity is short, and if she doesn’t seize it, no one wants to marry her, and she sits watching for omens.

Somewhere, what with all these clouds, and all this air, There must be a rare name, somewhere… How do you like “Cloud-Cuckoo-Land”? 3

Halcyon days. 4

Mankind, fleet of life, like tree leaves, weak creatures of clay, unsubstantial as shadows, wingless, ephemeral, wretched, mortal and dreamlike.

Full of wiles, full of guile, at all times, in all ways, Are the children of Men. 3

[On the nightingale:] Lord Zeus, listen to the little bird’s voice; he has filled the whole thicket with honeyed song.

Bringing owls to Athens.

This is what extremely grieves us, that a man who never fought Should contrive our fees to pilfer, one who for his native land Never to this day had oar, or lance, or blister in his hand.

Old men are children for a second time.

To make the worse appear the better reason.

Haven’t you sometimes seen a cloud that looked like a centaur? Or a leopard perhaps? Or a wolf? Or a bull? 2

When men drink, then they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends. Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.

You have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.

The gods Visit the sins of the fathers upon the children. 15

For then, in wrath, the Olympian Pericles Thundered and lightened, and confounded Hellas Enacting laws which ran like drinking songs. 1

An old man weds a tyrant, not a wife. 12

Who knows but life be that which men call death, And death what men call life?

Humility, a sense of reverence before the sons of heaven— of all the prizes that a mortal man might win, these, I say, are wisest; these are best.

When good men die their goodness does not perish, But lives though they are gone. As for the bad, All that was theirs dies and is buried with them.

What is wisdom? What gift of the gods is held in glory like this: to hold your hand victorious over the heads of those you hate? Glory is precious forever.

To friends, or lead a sick man back to health With ease and plenty. Else small aid is wealth For daily gladness; once a man be done With hunger, rich and poor are all as one.

Would that I were under the cliffs, in the secret hiding-places of the rocks, that Zeus might change me to a winged bird.

I would win my way to the coast, apple-bearing Hesperian coast of which the minstrels sing, where the Lord of the Ocean denies the voyager further sailing, and fixes the solemn limit of Heaven which giant Atlas upholds. There the streams flow with ambrosia by Zeus’s bed of love, and holy Earth, the giver of life, yields to the gods rich blessedness. 6

Love distills desire upon the eyes, love brings bewitching grace into the heart of those he would destroy. I pray that love may never come to me with murderous intent, in rhythms measureless and wild. Not fire nor stars have stronger bolts than those of Aphrodite sent by the hand of Eros, Zeus’s child.

My tongue swore, but my mind was still unpledged.

In this world second thoughts, it seems, are best. 5

There is one thing alone that stands the brunt of life throughout its course: a quiet conscience.

We know the good, we apprehend it clearly, but we can’t bring it to achievement.

I know indeed what evil I intend to do, but stronger than all my afterthoughts is my fury, fury that brings upon mortals the greatest evils.

When love is in excess it brings a man no honor nor any worthiness.

What greater grief than the loss of one’s native land.

There is no benefit in the gifts of a bad man.

Slight not what’s near through aiming at what’s far.

Time cancels young pain.

I have found power in the mysteries of thought, exaltation in the chanting of the Muses; I have been versed in the reasonings of men; but Fate is stronger than anything I have known.

You were a stranger to sorrow: therefore Fate has cursed you.

My mother was accursed the night she bore me, and I am faint with envy of all the dead.

O mortal man, think mortal thoughts!

Today’s today. Tomorrow, we may be ourselves gone down the drain of Eternity.

You love the daylight: do you think your father does not?

Dishonor will not trouble me, once I am dead.

Light be the earth upon you, lightly rest.