Quotes by Sophocles

“A man growing old becomes a child again.”

“No lie ever reaches old age.”

“You should not consider a man's age but his acts.”

“Old age and the passage of time teach all things.”

“Not even old age knows how to love death.”

“Time alone reveals the just man but you might discern a bad man in a single day.”

“Whoever thinks that he alone has speech, or possesses speech or mind above others, when unfolded such men are seen to be empty.”

“The rewards of virtue alone abide secure.”

“Best to live lightly, unthinkingly.”

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

“It is best to live however one can be.”

“For death is not the worst, but when one wants to die and is not able even to have that.”

“For the wretched one night is like a thousand for someone faring well death is just one more night.”

“To him who is in fear everything rustles.”

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

“It is a base thing for a man among the people not to obey those in command. Never in a state can the laws be well administered when fear does not stand firm.”

“Whoever neglects the arts when he is young has lost the past and is dead to the future.”

“Fortune raises up and fortune brings low both the man who fares well and the one who fares badly and there is no prophet of the future for mortal men.”

“Reason is God's crowning gift to man.”

“God's dice always have a lucky roll.”

“Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it.”

“Ignorant men don't know what good they hold in their hands until they've flung it away.”

“To be doing good deeds is man's most glorious task.”

“Our happiness depends on wisdom all the way.”

“Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness.”

“When a man has lost all happiness, he's not alive. Call him a breathing corpse.”

“How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth.”

“Children are the anchors of a mother's life.”

“Money is the worst currency that ever grew among mankind. This sacks cities, this drives men from their homes, this teaches and corrupts the worthiest minds to turn base deeds.”

“Men should pledge themselves to nothing for reflection makes a liar of their resolution.”

“Profit is sweet, even if it comes from deception.”

“Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.”

“Always desire to learn something useful.”

“Who seeks shall find.”

“No speech can stain what is noble by nature.”

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

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

“Success is dependent on effort.”

“There is no success without hardship.”

“Hide nothing, for time, which sees all and hears all, exposes all.”

“Trust dies but mistrust blossoms.”

“It is the merit of a general to impart good news, and to conceal the truth.”

“War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always.”

“Wisdom outweighs any wealth.”

“A short saying often contains much wisdom.”

“Much wisdom often goes with fewest words.”

“If you were to offer a thirsty man all wisdom, you would not please him more than if you gave him a drink.”

“Silence is an ornament for women.”

“Evil gains work their punishment.”

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