Democritus Quotes

460 BC–370 BC Greece

Democritus (c. 460 BC – c. 370 BC) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher. He is popularly known as "the laughing philosopher" for advocating a cheerful outlook, and for his rhetorical use of irony and ridicule.

Greece
Authors
Mathematicians
Philosophers

Random Democritus quote

77 quotes

Strength and beauty are the blessings of youth; temperance, however, is the flower of old age.

This argument too shows that in truth we know nothing about anything, but every man shares the generally prevailing opinion.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

Coition is a slight attack of apoplexy. For man gushes forth from man, and is separated by being torn apart with a kind of blow.

Freeman (1948)

In a shared fish, there are no bones.

Freeman (1948)

We know nothing accurately in reality, but [only] as it changes according to the bodily condition, and the constitution of those things that flow upon [the body] and impinge upon it.

Freeman (1948)

By convention sweet is sweet, bitter is bitter, hot is hot, cold is cold, color is color; but in truth there are only atoms and the void.

Seek after the good, and with much toil shall ye find it; the evil turns up of itself without your seeking it.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

'Tis not in strength of body nor in gold that men find happiness, but in uprightness and in fulness of understanding.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

No one deserves to live who has not at least one good-man-and-true for a friend.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

An evil and foolish and intemperate and irreligious life should not be called a bad life, but rather, dying long drawn out.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

Man should know from this rule that he is cut off from truth.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

Sweet exists by convention, bitter by convention, colour by convention; atoms and Void [alone] exist in reality. (trans. Freeman 1948), p. 92.

Repentance for one's evil deeds is the safeguard of life.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

False men and shams talk big and do nothing.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

Men have fashioned an image of Chance as an excuse for their own stupidity. For Chance rarely conflicts with intelligence, and most things in life can be set in order by an intelligent sharpsightedness.

Freeman (1948)

Strength of body is nobility in beasts of burden, strength of character is nobility in men.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

Making money is not without its value, but nothing is baser than to make it by wrong-doing.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

Many who have not learned wisdom live wisely, and many who do the basest deeds can make most learned speeches.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

Of practical wisdom these are the three fruits: to deliberate well, to speak to the point, to do what is right.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

You can tell the man who rings true from the man who rings false, not by his deeds alone, but also by his desires.

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Democritus (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.