Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,161,747 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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Said in the 300s
“There was a time when evilness did not exist, and there will be a time when it will no more exist, whereas there was no time when virtue did not exist, and there will be no time when it will not exist. For the germs of virtue are impossible to destroy.”
Evagrius Ponticus (345–399) said by 399 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
“To those who have an active belief, reasoned proofs are needless and probably useless.”
Anthony the Great (251–357) said by 357 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Ausonius must be read to be believed! As poet, no subject is too trivial for him; as courtier, no flattery too excessive.”
Ausonius (310–395) said by 395 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Gore Vidal, Julian (1964), p. 11.
“(To the Roman emperor) Why do you want to lose this crowd with the worship of gods? Learn about God, Creator of the world, and His only Son Jesus Christ, who freed humanity from hell with the cross!”
Catherine of Alexandria (282–305) said by 305 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Purification of the soul ... consists in scorning the pleasures that arise through the senses, in not feasting the eyes on the silly exhibitions of jugglers or on the sight of bodies which gives the spur to sensual pleasure, in not permitting licentious songs to enter through the ears and drench your souls.”
Basil of Caesarea (329–379) said by 379 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence: and from this it is evident, that there was a time when the Son was not. It therefore necessarily follows, that he had his substance from nothing.”
Arius (250–336) said by 336 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“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
“Diogenes compared them to fig-trees growing over precipices; for their fruit was devoured by daws and crows, not by men.”
Galen (129–300) said by 300 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Galen, on Diogenes's views on the ignorant rich, in Exhortation to Study the Arts, Wakefield (1796), p. 217; cf. Stobaeus, iv. 31b. 48.
“He [Apollonius of Perga] spent a very long time with the pupils of Euclid at Alexandria, and it was thus that he acquired such a scientific habit of thought.”
Pappus of Alexandria (290–350) said by 350 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Abba Pambo said: “If you have a heart you can be saved.”
Pambo (350–375) said by 375 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A brother visited Abba Moses at Scete asking him for a saying. The elder said to him: “Go and stay in a cell; your cell will teach you everything.”
Moses the Black (320–395) said by 395 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If any Jew has purchased and circumcised a Christian slave or one of any other sect than his own, he shall not keep the circumcised slave in servitude, but the man who has suffered this outrage shall be granted the rights of liberty.”
Constantine the Great (272–337) said by 337 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
“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
“It was not by dialectic that it pleased God to save His people.”
Ambrose (339–397) said by 397 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Abba Serapion said: “Just as the soldiers of the emperor standing before him cannot turn their attention to left or to right, so too if a person stand before God and rivet his attention on his presence, in fear of him all the time, no action of the enemy can terrorize him.”
Serapion of Thmuis (300–370) said by 370 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Abba Macarius said to Abba Zachariah: “Tell me, what is the task of the monk?” “You are asking me, father?” he said, and Abba Macarius said: “I have full confidence in you, Zachariah my son, for there is somebody inciting me to ask you.” Abba Zachariah said to him: “In my opinion, to constrain oneself in all things: that is being the monk.”
Zachariah the Recluse (301–399) said by 399 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
“It is irreverent to the Gods to give you this demonstration, but for your sakes it shall be done.”
Iamblichus (245–325) said by 325 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