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Archilochus Quotes
680 BC–645 BC Greece
Archilochus [Ἀρχίλοχος] (c. 680 BC – c. 645 BC), also rendered as Archilochos or Arkhilokhus, was a Greek lyric poet and mercenary from the island of Paros in the Archaic period.
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17 quotes
Old women should not seek to be perfumed.
With guileful thoughts she bore
Nothing can be surprising any more or impossible or miraculous, now that Zeus, father of the Olympians has made night out of noonday... after this, men can believe anything, expect anything.
The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.
I have a high art: I hurt with cruelty those who wound me.
Be bold! That's one way
My spear wins bread, my spear wins Thracian wine:
Heart, my heart, so battered with misfortune far beyond your strength,
Keep some measure in the joy you take in luck, and the degree you
And by a prudent flight and cunning save
One thing I know, I hold it ever true,
Zeus, the father of the Olympic Gods, turned mid-day into night, hiding the light of the dazzling Sun; and sore fear came upon men.
Take the joy and bear the sorrow,
Soul, my soul, don't let them break you,
Oh Zeus, father Zeus, Yours is the Kingdom of Heaven, and you watch men's deeds, the crafty and the right, and You are who cares for beasts' transgression and justice.
I have saved myself - what care I for that shield? Away with it! I'll get another one no worse.
"Old women should not seek to be perfumed" (Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, first ebook edition, 2014)
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