Aristophanes Quotes

89 Sourced Quotes

Comedy too can sometimes discern what is right. I shall not please, but I shall say what is true.

Aristophanes
What unlooked-for things do happen, to be sure, in a long life!

Aristophanes
Evil events from evil causes spring, And what you suffer flows from what you've done.

Aristophanes
A demagogue must be neither an educated nor an honest man; he has to be an ignoramus and a rogue.

Aristophanes
Unjust Cause: This art is worth more than ten thousand staters, that one should choose the worse cause, and nevertheless be victorious.

Aristophanes
[Choir of] Women: It should not prejudice my voice that I'm not born a man, if I say something advantageous to the present situation. For I'm taxed too, and as a toll provide men for the nation.

Aristophanes
Epops: Yet, certainly, the wise learn many things from their enemies; for caution preserves all things. From a friend you could not learn this, but your foe immediately obliges you to learn it. For example, the states have learned from enemies, and not from friends, to build lofty walls, and to possess ships of war. And this lesson preserves children, house, and possessions.
Leader: It is useful, as it appears to me, to hear their arguments first; for one might learn some wisdom even from one's foes.

Aristophanes
Even if you persuade me, you won't persuade me.

Aristophanes
Epops: You're mistaken: men of sense often learn from their enemies. Prudence is the best safeguard. This principle cannot be learned from a friend, but an enemy extorts it immediately. It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls and ships of war. And this lesson saves their children, their homes, and their properties.
Leader: It appears then that it will be better for us to hear what they have to say first; for one may learn something at times even from one's enemies.

Aristophanes
Why, I'd like nothing better than to achieve some bold adventure, worthy of our trip.

Aristophanes
Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.

Aristophanes
For then, in wrath, the Olympian Pericles Thundered and lightened, and confounded Hellas Enacting laws which ran like drinking songs.

Aristophanes
Do you dare to accuse wine of clouding the reason? Quote me more marvelous effects than those of wine. Look! when a man drinks, he is rich, everything he touches succeeds, he gains lawsuits, is happy and helps his friends. Come, bring hither quick a flagon of wine, that I may soak my brain and get an ingenious idea.

Aristophanes
Weak mortals, chained to the earth, creatures of clay as frail as the foliage of the woods, you unfortunate race, whose life is but darkness, as unreal as a shadow, the illusion of a dream.

Aristophanes
These impossible women! How they do get around us! The poet was right: can't live with them, or without them!

Aristophanes
O women, if we would compel the men to bow to Peace, [...] We must refrain from every depth of love.... Why do you turn your backs? Where are you going? Why do you bite your lips and shake your heads? Why are your faces blanched? Why do you weep?

Aristophanes
Full of wiles, full of guile, at all times, in all ways, are the children of Men.

Aristophanes
You vote yourselves salaries out of the public funds and care only for your own personal interests; hence the state limps along.

Aristophanes
If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to start again.

Aristophanes
Hunger knows no friend but its feeder.

Aristophanes
Praxagora: I want all to have a share of everything and all property to be in common; there will no longer be either rich or poor; [...] I shall begin by making land, money, everything that is private property, common to all. [...]
Blepyrus: But who will till the soil?
Praxagora: The slaves.

Aristophanes
Poet: Straton wanders among the Scythian nomads, but has no linen garment. He is sad at only wearing an animal's pelt and no tunic. Do you get what I mean?
Pisthetaerus: I understand that you want me to offer you a tunic. Hi! you (To the acolyte.) take off yours; we must help the poet.

Aristophanes
A savage-creating stubborn-pulling fellow, Uncurbed, unfettered, uncontrolled of speech, Unperiphrastic, bombastiloquent.

Aristophanes
High thoughts must have high language.

Aristophanes
We say that poverty is the sister of beggary.

Aristophanes