Sophocles Quotes - Page 15

There is an ancient saying, famous among men, that thou shouldst not judge fully of a man's life before he dieth, whether it should be called blest or wretched.

For even bold natures flee, whenever they see Hades close to life.

You cannot know a man's life before the man has died, then only can you call it good or bad.

War loves to seek its victims in the young.

Man's worst ill is stubbornness of heart.

You see how when rivers are swollen in winter those trees that yield to the flood retain their branches, but those that offer resistance perish, trunk and all.

Yet I pity the poor wretch, though he's my enemy. He's yoked to an evil delusion, but the same fate could be mine. I see clearly: we who live are all phantoms, fleeing shadows.

Heap up great wealth in your house, if you wish, and live as a tyrant, but, if the enjoyment of these things be lacking, I would not buy the rest for the shadow of smoke as against happiness.

Everything is ideal to its parent.

Know'st not whate'er we do is done in love?

A prudent man should neglect no circumstances.

More men come to doom through dirty profits than are kept by them.

Think not that your word and yours alone must be right.

Nobly to live, or else nobly to die,Befits proud birth.

One must obey the man whom the city sets up in power in small things and in justice and in its opposite.

A prudent mind can see room for misgiving, lest he who prospers should one day suffer reverse.

Let a man nobly live or nobly die.

There are some who praise a man free from disease; to me no man who is poor seems free from disease but to be constantly sick.

We should not speak of one that prospers well As happy, till his life have run its course, And reached its goal. An evil spirit's gift In shortest time has oft laid low the state Of one full rich in great prosperity, When the change comes, and so the Gods appoint.

For every nation that lives peaceably, there will be many others to grow hard and push their arrogance to extremes; the gods attend to these things slowly. But they attend to those who put off God and turn to madness.

Give me a life wherever there is an opportunity to live, and better life than was my father's.

A human being is only breath and shadow.

Goodbye to the sun that shines for me no longer.

A day lays low and lifts up again all human things.

No yield to the dead! Never stab the fighter when he's down. Where's the glory, killing the dead twice over?