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Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,158,269 quotes Who coined it · How we decide

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Said between 400 and 301 BC

• “Οὐκέτι δὴ πλωτοῖσιν ἀγαλλόμενος πελάγεσσιναὐχέν᾽ ἀναρρίψω βυσσόθεν ὀρνύμενος,οὐδὲ περὶ σκαλάμοισι νεὼς περικαλλέα χείληποιφύσσω, τἀμᾷ τερπόμενος προτομᾷ:ἀλλά με πορφυρέα πόντου νοτὶς ὦς᾽ ἐπὶ χέρσον,κεῖμαι δὲ ῥαδινὰν τάνδε παρ᾽ ἠιόνα.”

  Anyte of Tegea (died 301 BC) said by 301 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: Anthologia Palatina, vii, 215, as translated by Francis Hodgson, in Robert Bland, et al. Collections from the Greek Anthology, new ed. (1833), "On a Dolphin cast ashore

• “Your ancestors came to Macedonia and the rest of Hellas [Greece] and did us great harm, though we had done them no prior injury. I have been appointed leader of the Greeks, and wanting to punish the Persians I have come to Asia, which I took from you.”

  Alexander the Great (356–323 BC) said by 323 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “συμμαχίας γὰρ Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων συνελθούσης, εἷς ὢν τούτων Ἀμύντας ὁ Φιλίππου πατὴρ καὶ πέμπων σύνεδρον καὶ τῆς καθ᾿ αὐτὸν ψήφου κύριος ὤν, ἐψηφίσατο Ἀμφίπολιν τὴν Ἀθηναίων συνεξαιρεῖν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων Ἀθηναίοις. καὶ τούτων τὸ κοινὸν δόγμα τῶν Ἑλλήνων καὶ τοὺς ψηφισαμένους ἐκ τῶν δημοσίων γραμμάτων μάρτυρας παρεσχόμην.”

  Aeschines (390–322 BC) said by 322 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “ὁ δὲ Κλείταρχός φησιν ἁμάξας τετρακύκλους δένδρα κομιζούσας τῶν μεγαλοφύλλων, ἐξ ὧν ἀπήρτηται γένη τετιθασσευμένων ὀρνέων, ὧν εὐφωνότατον μὲν εἴρηκε τὸν ὠρίωνα, λαμπρότατον δὲ κατὰ τὴν ὄψιν καὶ πλείστην ἔχοντα ποικιλίαν τὸν καλούμενον κατρέα· τὴν γὰρ ἰδέαν ταῷ μάλιστα ἐγγίζειν, τὴν δὲ λοιπὴν εἰκονογραφίαν παρ᾿ ἐκείνου ληπτέον.”

  Cleitarchus (401–301 BC) said by 301 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: F 20 FGrHist; Strabo, Geography, bk. XV, ch. i, sec. 69 (tr. H. C. Hamilton and W. Falconer, 1854)

• “τρία γάρ ἐστι τὰ μέγιστα, ἃ διαφυλάττει καὶ διασῴζει τὴν δημοκρατίαν καὶ τὴν τῆς πόλεως εὐδαιμονίαν, πρῶτον μὲν ἡ τῶν νόμων τάξις, δεύτερον δ᾿ ἡ τῶν δικαστῶν ψῆφος, τρίτον δ᾿ ἡ τούτοις τἀδικήματα παραδιδοῦσα κρίσις.”

  Lycurgus of Athens (390–324 BC) said by 324 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: For the things which in the main uphold our democracy and preserve the city’s prosperity are three in number: first the system of law, second the vote of the jury, and third the method of prosecution by which the crimes…

• “גרמתי להולכי רכיל לשתוק בהמשיכי לחיות בטוב. זה השימוש הטוב ביותר שאנו יכולים לעשות ברכילות.”

  אפלטון (429–349 BC) said by 349 BC at the latest wikiquote:he, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “ἐρωτηθεὶς τί αὐτῷ περιγέγονεν ἐκ φιλοσοφίας, ἔφη, “τὸ δύνασθαι ἑαυτῷ ὁμιλεῖν.”

  Antisthenes (445–365 BC) said by 365 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “That tho' a Man were admitted into Heaven to view the wonderful Fabrick of the World, and the Beauty of the stars, yet what would otherwise be Rapture and Extasie, would be but melancholy Amazement if he had not a Friend to communicate it to.”

  Archytas (430–345 BC) said by 345 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: Attributed to Archytus by Christiaan Huygens, The Celestial Worlds Discover'd (1722) Book 1, pt.4 and quoted by Arthur Beer, Vistas in Astronomy (1955) Vol.1 Cicero was reputed to have said the same thing.

• “The virtuous who are prosperous must be exalted, and the virtuous who are not prosperous must be exalted too.”

  Mozi (470–391 BC) said by 391 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “Ἐπαρίστερ´ ἔμαθες, ὦ πόνηρε, γράμματα· ἀνέστροφέν σου τὸν βίον τὰ βιβλία· πεφιλοσόφηκας γῇ τε κοὐρανῷ λαλῶν, οἷς οὐθέν ἐστιν ἐπιμελὲς τῶν σῶν λόγων.”

  Theognetus (301–301 BC) said by 301 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: Φάσμα (The Ghost), in Athenaeus, bk. 15, sec. 11 (tr. C. D. Yonge, 1854)

• “Ὅτι δι' αἵματος, οὐ διὰ μέλανος, τοὺς νόμους ὁ Δράκων ἔγραψεν.”

  Demades (381–317 BC) said by 317 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: In Plutarch, Life of Solon, sec. 17 (tr. Bernadotte Perrin, 1923). See also: Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae, bk. 11, ch. 18, and 'draconian'

• “הקהילה האמיתית היא העולם כולו.”

  דיוגנס (400–323 BC) said by 323 BC at the latest wikiquote:he, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “When somebody reported that the Athenians had sent an army, decked out with novel equipment, into the Pelopennese, he said, "Why should Antigenidas cry if Tellen has a new flute or two?" (Tellen was the worst of flute-players, and Antigenidas the best.)”

  Epaminondas (418–362 BC) said by 362 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “החזקים עושים את המוטל עליהם; החלשים מקבלים את מה שניתן להם.”

  תוקידידס (461–395 BC) said by 395 BC at the latest wikiquote:he, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “The wisdom which knows what are and are not dangers is opposed to the ignorance of them”

  Plato (429–349 BC) said by 349 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “παρ᾿ ἡμῖν νομίζεται τὴν ὥραν καὶ τὴν σοφίαν ὁμοίως μὲν καλόν, ὁμοίως δὲ αἰσχρὸν διατίθεσθαι εἶναι. τήν τε γὰρ ὥραν ἐὰν μέν τις ἀργυρίου πωλῇ τῷ βουλομένῳ, πόρνον αὐτὸν ἀποκαλοῦσιν, ἐὰν δέ τις, ὃν ἂν γνῷ καλὸν τε κἀγαθὸν ἐραστὴν ὄντα, τοῦτον φίλον ἑαυτῷ ποιεῖται, σώφρονα νομίζομεν· καὶ τὴν σοφίαν ὡσαύτως τοὺς μὲν ἀργυρίου τῷ βουλομένῳ πωλοῦντας σοφιστὰς [ὥσπερ πόρνους] ἀποκαλοῦσιν.”

  Xenophon (431–354 BC) said by 354 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: It is common opinion among us in regard to beauty and wisdom that there is an honourable and a shameful way of bestowing them. For to offer one’s beauty for money to all comers is called prostitution; but we think it vi…

• “καὶ γάρ τοι πεποιήκατε τοὺς ῥήτορας μελετᾶν καὶ φιλοσοφεῖν οὐ τὰ μέλλοντα τῇ πόλει συνοίσειν, ἀλλ᾿ ὅπως ἀρέσκοντας ὑμῖν λόγους ἐροῦσιν.”

  Isocrates (436–338 BC) said by 338 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “Since the women were extraordinary in appearance, the men, who were completely overcome with their fond feeling (for them), the women treated violently or killed during sexual pleasure. We captured only two of these. Their complexion was snow-white, (and) like nymphs their hair spread over their backs.”

  Callisthenes (360–327 BC) said by 327 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: W. Boer, Epistola Alexandri ad Aristotelem (Meisenheim am Glan, 1973), p. 57; translation: L. Gunderson, Alexander’s Letter to Aristotle about India (Meisenheim am Glan, 1980), p. 156. Dated by Gunderson to between 308 …

• “Φείδῃ παρθενίης· καὶ τί πλέον; οὐ γὰρ ἐς Ἅιδην ἐλθοῦς᾽ εὑρήσεις τὸν φιλέοντα, κόρη. ἐν ζωοῖσι τὰ τερπνὰ τὰ Κύπριδος· ἐν δ᾽ Ἀχέροντι ὀστέα καὶ σποδιή, παρθένε, κεισόμεθα.”

  Asclepiades of Samos (320–301 BC) said by 301 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: Anthologia Palatina, bk. 5, no. 85 (ed. & tr. W. R. Paton, vol. i, 1916, p. 169)

• “With wine and words of love and fervid vow He lulled me into bed. I closed my eyes, A sleepy, stupid innocent . . . And now I dedicate the spoils of my surprise: The silk that bound my breasts, my virgin zone, The cherished purity I could not keep . . . Goddess, remember we were all alone, And he was strong—and I was half asleep.”

  Hedylus (300–301 BC) said by 301 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: Louis Untermeyer, "To Venus", An Uninhibited Treasury of Erotic Poetry (1963)

• “הבה יעסוק כל אחד במה שהוא יודע.”

  אריסטופאנס (445–385 BC) said by 385 BC at the latest wikiquote:he, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

• “Εἰς οὐχ ὁσίην τρυμαλιὴν τὸ κέντρον ὠθεῖς.”

  Sotades (401–301 BC) said by 301 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: On the occasion when Ptolemy II Philadelphus had remarried, to his sister Arsinoë II. Reported in Plutarch, On the Education of Children, sec. 11a, and in Athenaeus, bk. 14, sec. 621a: "So Patroclus, Ptolemy's general, …

• “The Cimmerians inhabit subterranean dwellings, which they call argillas.”

  Ephorus (400–330 BC) said by 330 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

  Recorded in: Quoted in Strabo, v, p. 375; reported in Jules Michelet, History of France, tr. G. H. Smith (New York, 1882), vol. i, p. 35