This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, called "The Obscure" and the "Weeping Philosopher," famous for his doctrine of change being central to the universe
"A man's character is his fate."
"The soul is its own source of unfolding."
"All is flux, nothing is stationary...There is nothing permanent except change."
"All things make room for others and nothing remains still."
"A hidden connexion is stronger than an obvious one."
"There is always a majority of fools."
"A man's character is his guardian divinity."
"You would not find out the boundaries of soul, even by traveling alone every path: so deep a measure does it have."
"All things flow... From all, one; and from one, all."
"It is hard to fight with anger; for what it wants it buys at the price of soul."
"Dogs bark at a person whom they do not know."
"Hidden harmony is mightier than what is revealed."
"If we do not expect the unexpected, we will never find it. I, for one, intend to keep looking."
"It is difficult to fight against anger, for a man will buy revenge with his soul."
"If you don't expect the unexpected, you will not find it."
"How much finer things are in composition than alone."
"It is not possible to step in the same river twice."
"Men who love wisdom should acquaint themselves with a great many particulars."
"Listening not to me but to the Logos it is wise to agree that all things are one."
"All human laws are fed by the one Divine law; it iprevaileth as far as it listeth, and sufficeth for all, and surviveth all."
"The eyes are more exact witnesses than the ears."
"The waking have one world in common; sleepers have each a private world of his own."
"There is nothing so permanent in life as change."
"Unless you expect the unexpected you will never find [truth], for it is hard to discover and hard to attain."
"Much learning does not make a scholar."
"The way up and the way down are one and the same."
"What is divine escapes men's notice because of their incredulity."
"When people are awake they enjoy one world in common, but asleep each roams in a world of his own."
"You could not step twice into the same river; for other waters are ever flowing on to you."
"All things come into being by conflict of opposites."
"Character is destiny."
"Nothing endures but change."
"All things are in motion and nothing is at rest… You cannot go into the same [river] twice."
"The bounds of the soul thou shalt not find, though you travel every way."
"God is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, satiety and hunger."
"Much learning does not teach understanding."
"All things flow, nothing abides. "
"Nothing endures but change. "
"Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of the child at play. "
"Whosoever wishes to know about the world must learn about it in its particular details. Knowledge is not intelligence. In searching for the truth be ready for the unexpected. Change alone is unchanging. The same road goes both up and down. The beginning of a circle is also its end. Not I, but the world says it: all is one. And yet everything comes in season."