Quotes by
Sophocles |
Playwright, dramatist, priest, and politician of Classical Athens; one of three great ancient Greek tragedians. He wrote over 120 plays, but only 7 have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus. He competed in 30 competitions, won 24, and was never judged lower than second place.He was also a general for the Athenian army in the Peloponnesian Wars.
| 38 quotes | 2,560 visits |
Quotations
| • | Tomorrow is tomorrow. Future cares have future cures, And we must mind today. 5 |
| • | What greater wound is there than a false friend? 5 |
| • | A fearful man is always hearing things. |
| • | If it were possible to heal sorrow by weeping and to raise the dead with tears, gold were less prized than grief. |
| • | War loves to seek its victims in the young. |
| • | Every man can see things far off but is blind to what is near. |
| • | Kindness gives birth to kindness. |
| • | The truth is always the strongest argument. |
Ancient Greek
| • | There are many evils and there is no worse evil than man. Πολλά τα δεινά κουδέν ανθρώπου δεινότερον πέλει. — Antigone 50 |
| • | Fortune never helps the fainthearted. Ου τοις αθύμοις η τύχη ξυλλαμβάνει. 11 |
| • | It is not my nature to hate but to love. Ου συνέχθειν αλλά συμφιλείν έφυν. — Antigone 10 |
| • | Time reveals everything and brings it to light Πάντα εκκαλύπτων ο χρόνος εις το φως άγει. 9 |
| • | Wisdom outweighs any wealth. Κράτιστον κτημάτων ευβουλία. — Antigone 6 |
| • | The nobleman must either live well or die well. Ή καλώς ζην ή καλώς τεθνηκέναι τον ευγενή δει. — Ajax 6 |
| • | Heaven never helps the man who will not act. Θεός τοις αργούσιν ου παρίσταται. 5 |
| • | The sudden and unexpected joy of all the joys it has too much sweetness. Αλλ’ η γαρ εκτός και παρ’ ελπίδας χαρά έοικεν άλλη μήκος ουδέν ηδονή. — Antigone 5 |
| • | Among the rude, the wise man goes unnoticed. Σκαιοίσι πολλοίς είς σοφός διόλλυται. 5 |
| • | The wise man understands the new things based on the old things. Ανήρ έννους τα καινά τοις πάλαι τεκμαίρεται. 5 |
| • | A lie never lives to be old. Αλλ’ ουδέν έρπει ψεύδος εις γήρας χρόνου. 4 |
| • | Variety at work, makes the work sweet. Πόνου μεταλλαχθέντος, πόνοι γλυκείς. 4 |
| • | I inscribe the vows of a woman on water. Όρκους εγώ γυναικός εις ύδωρ γράφω. 4 |
| • | Little effort will not bring much glory. Μικρού δ’ αγώνος ου μέγα έρχεται κλέος. 4 |
| • | Happy are those who have never experienced misfortune. Ευδαίμονες οίσι κακών άγευστος αιών. — Αντιγόνη 4 |
| • | Have courage. When you tell the truth, you will never go wrong. Θάρσει. Λέγων τ' αληθές ου σφαλεί ποτε. 4 |
| • | Nobody likes the man who brings bad news. Στέργει γαρ ουδείς άγγελον κακών επών. — Antigone 3 |
| • | From one trouble, countless others follow. Ενός κακού μύρια έπονται. 3 |
| • | False words do not bear fruit. Ουκ εξάγουσιν καρπόν οι ψευδείς λόγοι. 3 |
| • | I know they use a short bridle for wild horses. Σμικρώ χαλινώ δ’ οίδα τους θυμουμένους ίππους καταρτυθέντας. — Antigone 3 |
| • | Envy crawls towards the rich man. Προς γαρ τον έχοντα ο φθόνος έρπει. — Αίας 3 |
| • | One who is a slave to others should not be vainglorious. Ου γαρ εκπέλει φρονείν μέγα όστις δούλος εστι των πέλας. — Antigone 3 |
| • | My dear, learn from your misfortunes not to be too proud. Ω ταν, διδάσκου μη θρασύνεσθαι κακοίς. |
| • | Hubris gives birth to the tyrant. Ύβρις φυτεύει τύραννον. — Oedipus king |
| • | Not to be born is, past all prizing, best. Μη φύναι τον άπαντα νικά λόγον. — Oedipus Coloneus l |
| • | Oh child, be silent; silence has many virtues. Ω παι σιώπα· πόλλ’ έχει σιγή καλά |
| • | O wretched man, may you never know who you are. Ω δύσποτμ’, είθε μήποτε γνοίης ός εί. |
| • | Men must bear the fortunes that the gods have given them. Ανθρώποισι τας μεν εκ θεών τύχας δοθείσας έστ’ αναγκαίον φέρειν. |
| • | Zeus utterly abhors boasting and big words. Ζευς γαρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους υπερεχθαίρει. |
| • | What we seek is attainable; what escapes us is what we don’t care about. Το δε ζητούμενον αλωτόν, εκφεύγειν δε ταμελούμενον. |
