Aristophanes - Man Quotes

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Informer: My friend, I am asking you for wings, not for words.
Pisthetaerus: It's just my words that gives you wings.
Informer: And how can you give a man wings with your words?
Pisthetaerus: They all start this way. [...]
Informer: So that words give wings?
Pisthetaerus: Undoubtedly; words give wings to the mind and make a man soar to heaven. Thus I hope that my wise words will give you wings to fly to some less degrading trade.

Aristophanes
If a man owes me money, I never seem to forget. But if I do the owing, I somehow never remember.

Aristophanes
Just Discourse: Do not bandy words with your father, nor treat him as a dotard, nor reproach the old man, who has cherished you, with his age.

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

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
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
This is what extremely grieves us, that a man who never fought Should contrive our fees to pilfer, one who for his native land Never to this day had oar, or lance, or blister in his hand.

Aristophanes
Yet I have not been seen frequenting the wrestling school intoxicated with success and trying to seduce young boys; but I took all my theatrical gear and returned straight home. I pained folk but little and caused them much amusement; my conscience rebuked me for nothing. Hence both grown men and youths should be on my side and I likewise invite the bald to give me their votes; for, if I triumph, everyone will say, both at table and at festivals, Carry this to the bald man, give these cakes to the bald one, do not grudge the poet whose talent shines as bright as his own bare skull the share he deserves.

Aristophanes
Blest the man who possesses a
Keen intelligent mind.

Aristophanes
A man may learn wisdom even from a foe.

Aristophanes
Man is a truly cunning creature.

Aristophanes
Man naturally is deceitful, ever indeed, and always, in every one thing.

Aristophanes
Man is naturally deceitful ever, in every way!

Aristophanes
The love of wine is a good man's failing.

Aristophanes
Ye Children of Man! whose life is a span, / Protracted with sorrow from day to day, / Naked and featherless, feeble and querulous, / Sickly, calamitous creatures of clay!

Aristophanes
There is no honest man! not one, that can resist the attraction of gold!

Aristophanes
An insult directed at the wicked is not to be censured; on the contrary, the honest man, if he has sense, can only applaud.

Aristophanes