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Plutarch
225 quotes
“Whenever Alexander heard Philip had taken any town of importance, or won any signal victory, instead of rejoicing at it altogether, he would tell his companions that his father would anticipate everything, and leave him and them no opportunities of performing great and illustrious actions.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Alexander said, "I assure you I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and dominion.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“When Alexander asked Diogenes whether he wanted anything, "Yes," said he, "I would have you stand from between me and the sun.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“When asked why he parted with his wife, Cæsar replied, "I wished my wife to be not so much as suspected.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“For my part, I had rather be the first man among these fellows than the second man in Rome.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Using the proverb frequently in their mouths who enter upon dangerous and bold attempts, "The die is cast," he took the river.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“And this," said Cæsar, "you know, young man, is more disagreeable for me to say than to do.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Go on, my friend, and fear nothing; you carry Cæsar and his fortunes in your boat.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Cæsar said to the soothsayer, "The ides of March are come;" who answered him calmly, "Yes, they are come, but they are not past.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Even a nod from a person who is esteemed is of more force than a thousand arguments or studied sentences from others.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Demosthenes told Phocion, "The Athenians will kill you some day when they once are in a rage." "And you," said he, "if they are once in their senses.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Pythias once, scoffing at Demosthenes, said that his arguments smelt of the lamp.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Demosthenes overcame and rendered more distinct his inarticulate and stammering pronunciation by speaking with pebbles in his mouth.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“In his house he had a large looking-glass, before which he would stand and go through his exercises.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Cicero called Aristotle a river of flowing gold, and said of Plato's Dialogues, that if Jupiter were to speak, it would be in language like theirs.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“For water continually dropping will wear hard rocks hollow.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“It is a true proverb, that if you live with a lame man you will learn to halt.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in the felicity of lighting on good education.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“It is indeed a desirable thing to be well descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“According to the proverb, the best things are the most difficult.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“To sing the same tune, as the saying is, is in everything cloying and offensive; but men are generally pleased with variety.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Children are to be won to follow liberal studies by exhortations and rational motives, and on no account to be forced thereto by whipping.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Nothing made the horse so fat as the king's eye.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Democritus said, words are but the shadows of actions.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“'T is a wise saying, Drive on your own track.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“It is a point of wisdom to be silent when occasion requires, and better than to speak, though never so well.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Eat not thy heart; which forbids to afflict our souls, and waste them with vexatious cares.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Abstain from beans; that is, keep out of public offices, for anciently the choice of the officers of state was made by beans.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“When men are arrived at the goal, they should not turn back.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The whole life of man is but a point of time; let us enjoy it, therefore, while it lasts, and not spend it to no purpose.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“An old doting fool, with one foot already in the grave.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Xenophanes said, "I confess myself the greatest coward in the world, for I dare not do an ill thing.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“One made the observation of the people of Asia that they were all slaves to one man, merely because they could not pronounce that syllable No.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Euripides was wont to say, "Silence is an answer to a wise man.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Zeno first started that doctrine that knavery is the best defence against a knave.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Alexander wept when he heard from Anaxarchus that there was an infinite number of worlds; and his friends asking him if any accident had befallen him, he returns this answer: "Do you not think it a matter worthy of lamentation that when there is such a vast multitude of them, we have not yet conquered one?”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Like the man who threw a stone at a bitch, but hit his step-mother, on which he exclaimed, "Not so bad!”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Pittacus said, "Every one of you hath his particular plague, and my wife is mine; and he is very happy who hath this only.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“He was a man, which, as Plato saith, is a very inconstant creature.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“The pilot cannot mitigate the billows or calm the winds.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“I, for my own part, had much rather people should say of me that there neither is nor ever was such a man as Plutarch, than that they should say, "Plutarch is an unsteady, fickle, froward, vindictive, and touchy fellow.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Scilurus on his death-bed, being about to leave fourscore sons surviving, offered a bundle of darts to each of them, and bade them break them. When all refused, drawing out one by one, he easily broke them,--thus teaching them that if they held together, they would continue strong; but if they fell out and were divided, they would become weak.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Remember what Simonides said,--that he never repented that he had held his tongue, but often that he had spoken.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Custom is almost a second nature.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Have in readiness this saying of Solon, "But we will not give up our virtue in exchange for their wealth.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Anacharsis said a man's felicity consists not in the outward and visible favours and blessings of Fortune, but in the inward and unseen perfections and riches of the mind.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Said Periander, "Hesiod might as well have kept his breath to cool his pottage.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Socrates said, "Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“And Archimedes, as he was washing, thought of a manner of computing the proportion of gold in King Hiero's crown by seeing the water flowing over the bathing-stool. He leaped up as one possessed or inspired, crying, "I have found it! Eureka!”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Said Scopas of Thessaly, "We rich men count our felicity and happiness to lie in these superfluities, and not in those necessary things.”
Plutarch (40–120) said by 120 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source