The sweetest of all sounds is praise. Xenophon
The true test of a leader is whether his followers will adhere to his cause from their own volition, enduring the most arduous hardships without being forced to do so, and remaining steadfast in the moments of greatest peril. Xenophon
There is small risk a general will be regarded with contempt by those he leads, if, whatever he may have to preach, he shows himself best able to perform. Xenophon
For what the horse does under compulsion, as Simon also observes, is done without understanding; and there is no beauty in it either, any more than if one should whip and spur a dancer. Xenophon
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything. Xenophon
For drink, there was beer which was very strong when not mingled with water, but was agreeable to those who were used to it. They drank this with a reed, out of the vessel that held the beer, upon which they saw the barley swim. Xenophon
Wherever magistrates were appointed from among those who complied with the injunctions of the laws, Socrates considered the government to be an aristocracy. Xenophon
Excess of grief for the dead is madness; for it is an injury to the living, and the dead know it not. Xenophon
He who eats with most pleasure is he who least requires sauce. Xenophon
A horse is a thing of beauty... none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor. Xenophon
The secret to happiness is freedom... And the secret to freedom is courage. Thucydides
The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it. Thucydides
Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war. Thucydides
We secure our friends not by accepting favors but by doing them. Thucydides
The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept. Thucydides
History is Philosophy teaching by examples. Thucydides
Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved. Thucydides
Men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them. Thucydides
Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger. Thucydides
Justice will not come to Athens until those who are not injured are as indignant as those who are injured. Thucydides
Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought. Thucydides
We Greeks are lovers of the beautiful, yet simple in our tastes, and we cultivate the mind without loss of manliness. Thucydides
It is frequently a misfortune to have very brilliant men in charge of affairs. They expect too much of ordinary men. Thucydides
Men's indignation, it seems, is more excited by legal wrong than by violent wrong; the first looks like being cheated by an equal, the second like being compelled by a superior. Thucydides
Always desire to learn something useful. Sophocles
A man growing old becomes a child again. Sophocles
Success is dependent on effort. Sophocles
Look and you will find it - what is unsought will go undetected. Sophocles
Children are the anchors of a mother's life. Sophocles
I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating. Sophocles
Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud. Sophocles
Ignorant men don't know what good they hold in their hands until they've flung it away. Sophocles
Who seeks shall find. Sophocles
Trust dies but mistrust blossoms. Sophocles
A short saying often contains much wisdom. Sophocles
Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it. Sophocles
All a man's affairs become diseased when he wishes to cure evils by evils. Sophocles
Hide nothing, for time, which sees all and hears all, exposes all. Sophocles
Money is the worst currency that ever grew among mankind. This sacks cities, this drives men from their homes, this teaches and corrupts the worthiest minds to turn base deeds. Sophocles
One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love. Sophocles
There is no witness so terrible and no accuser so powerful as conscience which dwells within us. Sophocles
Alas, how quickly the gratitude owed to the dead flows off, how quick to be proved a deceiver. Sophocles
A day lays low and lifts up again all human things. Sophocles
A word does not frighten the man who, in acting, feels no fear. Sophocles
Wisdom outweighs any wealth. Sophocles
There is no success without hardship. Sophocles
It is the merit of a general to impart good news, and to conceal the truth. Sophocles
Kindness is ever the begetter of kindness. Sophocles
Do not grieve yourself too much for those you hate, nor yet forget them utterly. Sophocles
Whoever neglects the arts when he is young has lost the past and is dead to the future. Sophocles
Better not to exist than live basely. Sophocles
A soul that is kind and intends justice discovers more than any sophist. Sophocles
You should not consider a man's age but his acts. Sophocles
A state is not a state if it belongs to one man. Sophocles
Our happiness depends on wisdom all the way. Sophocles
When a man has lost all happiness, he's not alive. Call him a breathing corpse. Sophocles
Quick decisions are unsafe decisions. Sophocles
If we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: "Thou shalt not ration justice." Sophocles
Without labor nothing prospers. Sophocles
No enemy is worse than bad advice. Sophocles
Reason is God's crowning gift to man. Sophocles
Enemies' gifts are no gifts and do no good. Sophocles
Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness. Sophocles
Bear up, my child, bear up; Zeus who oversees and directs all things is still mighty in heaven. Sophocles
A wise man does not chatter with one whose mind is sick.
Sophocles
Don't you know that silence supports the accuser's charge?Sophocles
But this is a true saying among men: the gifts of enemies are no gifts and profitless.Sophocles
Men should pledge themselves to nothing; for reflection makes a liar of their resolution.Sophocles
Even a poor man can receive honors.Sophocles
No lie ever reaches old age.Sophocles
Despair often breeds disease.Sophocles
Every man can see things far off but is blind to what is near.Sophocles
Now I see that going out into the testing ground of men it is the tongue and not the deed that wins the day.Sophocles
God's dice always have a lucky roll.Sophocles
Time alone reveals the just man; but you might discern a bad man in a single day.Sophocles
Isn't it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?Sophocles
No treaty is ever an impediment to a cheat.Sophocles
Whoever gets up and comes to grips with Love like a boxer is a fool.Sophocles
But whoever gives birth to useless children, what would you say of him except that he has bred sorrows for himself, and furnishes laughter for his enemies.Sophocles
Much speech is one thing, well-timed speech is another.Sophocles
How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth.Sophocles
A lie never lives to be old.Sophocles
There is a point at which even justice does injury.Sophocles
To him who is in fear everything rustles.Sophocles
For the dead there are no more toils.Sophocles
To be doing good deeds is man's most glorious task.Sophocles
Best to live lightly, unthinkingly.Sophocles
There is no sense in crying over spilt milk. Why bewail what is done and cannot be recalled?Sophocles
The dice of Zeus always fall luckily.Sophocles
In a just cause the weak will beat the strong.Sophocles
The gods plant reason in mankind, of all good gifts the highest.Sophocles
It is terrible to speak well and be wrong.Sophocles
Much wisdom often goes with fewest words.Sophocles
The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.Sophocles
Not to be born is, past all prizing, best.Sophocles
One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession.Sophocles
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.Sophocles
He who throws away a friend is as bad as he who throws away his life.Sophocles
There is no greater evil than anarchy.Sophocles
There is some pleasure even in words, when they bring forgetfulness of present miseries.Sophocles
There is an ancient saying among men that you cannot thoroughly understand the life of mortals before the man has died, then only can you call it good or bad.Sophocles
There is no greater evil for men than the constraint of fortune.Sophocles
I would rather miss the mark acting well than win the day acting basely.Sophocles
To give birth is a fearsome thing; there is no hating the child one has borne even when injured by it.Sophocles
A human being is only breath and shadow.
Sophocles
For the wretched one night is like a thousand; for someone faring well death is just one more night.Sophocles
Not all things are to be discovered; many are better concealed.Sophocles
Whoever lives among many evils just as I, how can dying not be a source of gain?Sophocles
Reverence does not die with mortals, nor does it perish whether they live or die.Sophocles
A wise doctor does not mutter incantations over a sore that needs the knife.Sophocles
How sweet for those faring badly to forget their misfortunes even for a short time.Sophocles
I see the state of all of us who live, nothing more than phantoms or a weightless shadow.Sophocles
If you have done terrible things, you must endure terrible things; for thus the sacred light of injustice shines bright.Sophocles
The oaths of a woman I inscribe on water.Sophocles
Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.Sophocles
No one longs to live more than someone growing old.Sophocles
If you were to offer a thirsty man all wisdom, you would not please him more than if you gave him a drink.Sophocles
Evil counsel travels fast.Sophocles
Whoever thinks that he alone has speech, or possesses speech or mind above others, when unfolded such men are seen to be empty.Sophocles
Fortune cannot aid those who do nothing.Sophocles
Men may know many things by seeing; but no prophet can see before the event, nor what end waits for him.Sophocles
Silence is an ornament for women.Sophocles
Whoever grows angry amid troubles applies a drug worse than the disease and is a physician unskilled about misfortunes.Sophocles
Whoever understands how to do a kindness when he fares well would be a friend better than any possession.Sophocles
The rewards of virtue alone abide secure.Sophocles
If one begins all deeds well, it is likely that they will end well too.Sophocles
Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth.Sophocles
If it were possible to cure evils by lamentation and to raise the dead with tears, then gold would be a less valuable thing than weeping.Sophocles
War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always.Sophocles
It is best to live however one can be.Sophocles
It is the task of a good man to help those in misfortune.Sophocles
Hush! Check those words. Do not cure ill with ill and make your pain still heavier than it is.Sophocles
I see that all of us who live are nothing but images or insubstantial shadow.Sophocles
Evil gains work their punishment.Sophocles
Wise thinkers prevail everywhere.Sophocles
No man loves the bearer of bad tidings.Sophocles
Not even Ares battles against necessity.Sophocles
Not even old age knows how to love death.Sophocles
When trouble ends even troubles please.Sophocles
If my body is enslaved, still my mind is free.Sophocles
For those whose wit becomes the mother of villainy, those it educates to be evil in all things.Sophocles
There is nothing more hateful than bad advice.Sophocles
There is a time when even justice brings harm.Sophocles
It's a terrible thing to speak well and be wrong.Sophocles
A fearful man is always hearing things.
Sophocles
What house, bloated with luxury, ever became prosperous without a woman's excellence?Sophocles
Not knowing anything is the sweetest life.Sophocles
No one who errs unwillingly is evil.Sophocles
No speech can stain what is noble by nature.Sophocles
Old age and the passage of time teach all things.Sophocles
It is a base thing for a man among the people not to obey those in command. Never in a state can the laws be well administered when fear does not stand firm.Sophocles
Whoever thinks his friend more important than his country, I rate him nowhere.Sophocles
All is disgust when a man leaves his own nature and does what is unfit.Sophocles
For shameful deeds are taught by shameful deeds.Sophocles
It was my care to make my life illustrious not by words more than by deeds.Sophocles
Man is not constituted to take pleasure in the same things always.Sophocles
You win the victory when you yield to friends.Sophocles
It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.Sophocles
For death is not the worst, but when one wants to die and is not able even to have that.Sophocles
To live without evil belongs only to the gods.Sophocles
Fortune raises up and fortune brings low both the man who fares well and the one who fares badly; and there is no prophet of the future for mortal men.Sophocles
Things gained through unjust fraud are never secure.Sophocles
Profit is sweet, even if it comes from deception.Sophocles
Foolishness is indeed the sister of wickedness.Sophocles
