Ancient Philosopher Quotes

Aristotle

Plato

Confucius

Cicero

Socrates

Seneca the Younger

Lao Tzu

No one punishes the evil-doer under the notion, or for the reason, that he has done wrong -- only the unreasonable fury of a beast acts in that way. But he who desires to inflict rational punishment does not retaliate for a past wrong, for that which is done cannot be undone, but he has regard to the future, and is desirous that the man who is punished, and he who sees him punished, may be deterred from doing wrong again.

The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.

Nothing can come into being from that which is not, or pass away into what is not.

In caring for others and serving heaven,
There is nothing like using restraint.

While the gentleman cherishes benign rule, the small man cherishes his native land. While the gentleman cherishes a respect for the law, the small man cherishes generous treatment.

He who is not sage and wise, humane and just, cannot use secret agent.s. And he who is not delicate and subtle cannot get the truth out of them.

The physician cannot prescribe by letter... he must feel the pulse.

Seneca the Younger

Necessity is an evil; but there is no necessity for continuing to live subject to necessity.

Make a vessel of wax and put it in the sea, fastening its mouth in such a way as to prevent any water getting in. Then the water that percolates through the wax sides of the vessel is sweet, the earth stuff, the admixture of which makes the water salt, being separated off as it were by a filter.

No one regards things before his feet But views with care the regions of the sky.

Four things belong to a judge: to hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly, and to decide impartially.

The earth is flat, being borne upon air, and similarly the sun, moon and the other heavenly bodies, which are all fiery, ride upon the air through their flatness.

Anaximenes of Miletus

A living body is not merely an integration of limbs and flesh but it is the abode of the soul which potentially has perfect perception (Anant-darshana), perfect knowledge (Anant-jnana), perfect power (Anant-virya), and perfect bliss (Anant-sukha).

The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.

Perdiccas threatened to put him to death unless he came to him, "That's nothing wonderful," Diogenes said, "for a beetle or a tarantula would do the same."

Diogenes of Sinope

There is no smallest among the small and no largest among the large, But always something still smaller and something still larger.

Wise people are in want of nothing, and yet need many things. On the other hand, nothing is needed by fools, for they do not understand how to use anything, but are in want of everything.

The investigation of the meaning of words is the beginning of education.

What was always was, and always shall be. For, if it came into being, necessarily, before its generation, there was nothing; so, if there were nothing, nothing at all would come from nothing.

Melissus of Samos

Willingly would I burn to death like Phaeton, were this the price for reaching the sun and learning its shape, its size, and its substance.

Eudoxus of Cnidus

Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.

Therefore we should not try to alter circumstances but to adapt ourselves to them as they really are, just as sailors do. They don't try to change the winds or the sea but ensure that they are always ready to adapt themselves to conditions. In a flat calm they use the oars; with a following breeze they hoist full sail; in a head wind they shorten sail or heave to. Adapt yourself to circumstances in the same way.

Bion of Borysthenes

Remote fountains are of little help to nearby fires.

Where there is cinnabar above, yellow gold will be found below. Where there is lodestone above, copper and gold will be found below. Where there is calamine above, lead, tin, and red copper will be found below. Where there is haematite above, iron will be found below. Thus it can be seen that mountains are full of riches.

God welcomes genuine service, and that is the service of a soul that offers the bare and simple sacrifice of truth; but from false service, the mere display of material wealth, He turns away.