Famous quotes
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 in the 300s
“Thy possessions have made thee a hollow image; they have ruined thee and left thee.”
Ephrem the Syrian (306–373) said by 373 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: in A Spiritual Psalter (2004), p. 267
“To distribute money belongs to the imperial dignity, but I offer up for the imperial dignity itself personal service to the Giver.”
Aelia Flaccilla (356–386) said by 386 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The divine Nature feels no pain. ... although He underwent the sufferings in all the fullness of their force, which necessarily causes pain to the sufferers, yet He never so abandoned the powers of His Nature as to feel pain.”
Hilary of Poitiers (315–367) said by 367 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“That which is, grows, while that which is not, becomes.”
Galen (129–300) said by 300 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Galen, On the Natural Faculties, Bk. 2, sect. 3; cited from Arthur John Brock (trans.) On the Natural Faculties (London: Heinemann, 1963) p. 139.
“He also said: “Just as fish die if they are on dry land for some time, so do monks who loiter outside their cells or waste time with worldlings release themselves from the tension of hesychia. So we should hasten back to the cell (like the fish to the sea) lest while loitering outside we forget to keep a watch on the inner self.”
Anthony the Great (251–357) said by 357 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When I am here I do not fast on Saturday; but when I am at Rome I do: whatever church you may come to, conform to its custom, if you would avoid either receiving or giving offense.”
Ambrose (339–397) said by 397 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“(To the governor who asked for her hand in marriage) Can you expect me to renounce heaven and choose instead the dust of the earth?”
Margaret of Antioch (292–307) said by 307 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Quando il Verbo visitò la Vergine Maria, lo Spirito giunse a lei attraverso di Lui, e il Verbo modellò il suo corpo per conformarlo a Sé stesso, desiderando unire e presentare tutta la creazione al Padre attraverso Lui stesso e in Sé stesso per la riconciliazione di tutte le cose, avendo portato la Pace tra le cose del paradiso e le cose della terra.”
Athanasius of Alexandria (296–373) said by 373 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Also quoted by: Atanasio di Alessandria (it)
“If Socrates died, then either he died when he was living, or when he was dead. But he couldn't have died when he was living, for he was not dead when he was living. But he couldn't have died when he was dead, for when he was dead he had already died. Therefore, Socrates never died.”
Sextus Empiricus (200–300) said by 300 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Sextus Empiricus quoted in Introduction to Logic by Paul Herrick (2013)
“Nam qui hominem, quamuis ob merita damnatum, in conspectu suo iugulari pro uoluptate computat, conscientiam suam polluit, tam scilicet, quam si homicidii, quod fit occulte, spectator et particeps fiat.”
Lactantius (240–320) said by 320 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Quis color ille vadis, seras cum propulit umbras Hesperus et viridi perfudit monte Mosellam! tota natant crispis iuga motibus et tremit absens pampinus et vitreis vindemia turget in undis.”
Ausonius (310–395) said by 395 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Mosella", line 192; translation from Helen Waddell Mediaeval Latin Lyrics ([1929] 1943) p. 31.
“Abba John of the Thebaid said, 'First of all the monk must gain humility; for it is the first commandment of the Lord who said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."' (Matt. 5.3)”
John of Egypt (305–394) said by 394 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Go forth, my soul, why do you hesitate? You have served Christ nearly eighty years; do you still fear death?”
Hilarion (291–372) said by 372 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Of Ephesus, historian. [He wrote] Ephesiaca [Ephesian Histories]; it is a love story in 10 books about [H]abrocomes and Anthia; also On the city of the Ephesians; and other things.”
Xenophon of Ephesus (101–300) said by 300 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A brother asked Abba Serapion: “Tell me a saying.” The elder said: “What can I say to you? That you took the goods of widows and orphans and set them in this embrasure?”—for he saw that it was full of books.”
Serapion of Thmuis (300–370) said by 370 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Paucae domus studiorum seriis cultibus antea celebratae, nunc ludibriis ignavae torpentis exundant. ... Pro philosopho cantor, et in locum oratoris doctor artium ludicrarum accitur, et bibliothecis sepulcrorum ritu in perpetuum clausis, organa fabricantur hydraulica, et lyrae ad speciem carpentorum ingentes.”
Ammianus Marcellinus (330–395) said by 395 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Having the Album of the True Forms of the Five Marchmounts in your home enables you to deflect violent assault and repulse those who wish to do you harm; they themselves will suffer the calamity they seek to visit upon you.”
Ge Hong (284–364) said by 364 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Of Alexandria, the writer of the story of Leucippe and Cleitophon and other love stories in eight books. He became at last a Christian and a bishop. He wrote On the [Heavenly] Sphere, Etymologies, and Historical Miscellany, which mentions many great and admirable men. His style in all of these works is similar to [his style in] the love stories.”
Achilles Tatius (200–300) said by 300 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Since we are double-made, I mean of body and soul, and the one part is visible, the other invisible, so the cleansing also is twofold, by water and the spirit; the one received visibly in the body, the other concurring with it invisibly and apart from the body; the one typical, the other real and cleansing the depths.”
Gregory of Nazianzus (329–390) said by 390 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source