Great Throughts Treasury

"The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves."

"The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities."

"The truth is always the strongest argument."

"What you cannot enforce, do not command."

"To him who is in fear everything rustles."

"Numberless are the world's wonders, but none More wonderful than man; the storm gray sea Yields to his prows, the huge crests bear him high; Earth, holy and inexhaustible, is graven With shining furrows where his plows have gone Year after year, the timeless labor of stallions. The light-boned birds and beasts that cling to cover, The lithe fish lighting their reaches of dim water, All are taken, tamed in the net of his mind; The lion on the hill, the wild horse windy-maned, Resign to him; and his blunt yoke has broken The sultry shoulders of the mountain bull. Words also, and thought as rapid as air, He fashions to his good use; statecraft is his And his the skill that deflects the arrows of snow, The spears of winter rain: from every wind He has made himself secure--from all but one: In the late wind of death he cannot stand. O clear intelligence, force beyond all measure! O fate of man, working both good and evil! When the laws are kept, how proudly his city stands! When the laws are broken, what of his city then? Never may the anarchic man find rest at my hearth, Never be it said that my thoughts are his thoughts."

"A brave man dead, not even though you hate him."

"A city which belongs to just one man is no true city."

"A fearful man is always hearing things."

"A day lays low and lifts up again all human things."

"A friend in word is never friend of mine."

"A human being is only breath and shadow."

"A man can get a reputation from very small things."

"A lie never grows old."

"A man growing old becomes a child again."

"A man's anger can never age and fade away, not until he dies. The dead alone feel no pain."

"A prudent mind can see room for misgiving, lest he who prospers should one day suffer reverse."

"A man is nothing but breath and shadow."

"A soul that is kind and intends justice discovers more than any sophist."

"A mind at peace does not engender wars."

"A state is not a state if it belongs to one man."

"A wise doctor does not mutter incantations over a sore that needs the knife."

"A sight to touch e?en hatred?s self with pity."

"A wise man does not chatter with one whose mind is sick."

"A State for one man is no State at all."

"A word does not frighten the man who, in acting, feels no fear."

"A wise player ought to accept his throws and score them, not bewail his luck."

"Account no man happy till he dies."

"Ah me! think, sister, how our father perished, amid hate and scorn, when sins bared by his own search had moved him to strike both eyes with self-blinding hand; then the mother wife, two names in one, with twisted noose did despite unto her life; and last, our two brothers in one day,-each shedding, hapless one, a kinsman's blood,-wrought out with mutual hands their common doom. And now we in turn-we two left all alone think how we shall perish, more miserably than all the rest, if, in defiance of the law, we brave a king's decree or his powers. Nay, we must remember, first, that we were born women, as who should not strive with men; next, that we are ruled of the stronger, so that we must obey in these things, and in things yet sorer. I, therefore, asking the Spirits Infernal to pardon, seeing that force is put on me herein, will hearken to our rulers. for 'tis witless to be over busy."

"Ah, race of mortal men, how as a thing of nought I count ye, though ye live; for who is there of men that more of blessing knows, than just a little while to seem to prosper well, and, having seemed, to fall?"

"Alas, how terrible is wisdom when it brings no profit to the man that's wise! This I knew well, but had forgotten it, else I would not have come here."

"Ah, memorial of him whom I loved best on earth! Ah, Orestes, whose life hath no relic left save this,- how far from the hopes with which I sent thee forth is the manner in which I receive thee back! Now I carry thy poor dust in my hands; but thou wert radiant, my child, when I sped the forth from home! Would that I had yielded up my breath, ere, with these hands, I stole thee away, and sent thee to a strange land, and rescued the from death; that so thou mightest have been stricken down on that self-same day, and had thy portion in the tomb of thy sire!"

"All a man's affairs become diseased when he wishes to cure evils by evils."

"Aiai! Whoever would have thought my name would harmonize so aptly with my woes? For now well may I wail that sound out twice, yea thrice; such woeful destinies are mine, whose father from this land of Ida won fame's noblest guerdon over the whole host, and crowned with praises only sailed back home; but I, his son, who to the self-same Troy came after him, in might no less than he, nor rendering meaner service by my deeds, dishonored by the Argives perish thus."

"Alas, how quickly the gratitude owed to the dead flows off, how quick to be proved a deceiver."

"All concerns of men go wrong when they wish to cure evil with evil."

"All men are liable to err. But when an error is made, that man is no longer unwise or unblessed who heals the evil into which he has fallen and does not remain stubborn."

"All is disgust when a man leaves his own nature and does what is unfit."

"All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride."

"All men make mistakes."

"All my care is you, and all my pleasure yours."

"All our mortal lives are set in danger and perplexity: one day to prosper, and the next -- who knows? When all is well, then look for rocks ahead."

"All men may err; but he that keepeth not his folly, but repenteth, doeth well; but stubbornness cometh to great trouble."

"Always desire to learn something useful."

"Among the calamities will calamities caused by one's own most painful."

"And if to some my tale seems foolishness I am content that such could count me fool."

"All things the long and countless lapse of time brings forth displays, then hides once more in gloom. Nought is too strange to look for; but the event may mock the sternest oath, the firmest will. Thus I, who late so strong, so stubborn seemed like iron dipped, yet now grow soft with pity before this woman, whom I am loath to leave midst foes a widow with this orphaned child. But I will seek the meadows by the shore: there will I wash and purge these stains, if so I may appease Athena's heavy wrath. Then will I find some lonely place, where I may hide this sword, beyond all others cursed, buried where none may see it, deep in earth. May night and Hades keep it there below."

"And if my present actions strike you as foolish, let's just say I've been accused of folly by a fool."

"Although the gods see everything, they may be delayed punish those who deviate from the right path and make mistakes."

"And if you find I've lied, from this day on call the prophet blind."