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Euripides Quotes
480 BC–406 BC Greece
Euripides (Ancient Greek: Εὐριπίδης, Eurīpídēs; c. 480 BC–406 BC) was a Greek tragedian of classical Athens. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three named authors of Greek tragedy for whom any plays have survived in full.
Also known as: Those whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad, Those whom God would destroy he first makes mad, Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad, Those whom the gods would destroy they first make mad, Whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad, Whom God would destroy he first makes mad
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173 quotes
Orestes: A terrible thing is the mob, when it has villains to lead it. Pylades: Aye, but with honest leaders its counsels are honest.
Orestes (-408)
Old ties give way to new.
Medea (-431)
On behalf of all those dead who learned their hatred of women long ago, for those who hate them now, for those unborn who shall live to hate them yet, I now declare my firm conviction: neither earth nor ocean produces a creature as savage and monstrous as woman.
Hecuba (-424)
Oh, if I had Orpheus' voice and poetry with which to move the Dark Maid and her Lord, I'd call you back, dear love, from the world below. I'd go down there for you. Charôn or the grim King's dog could not prevent me then from carrying you up into the fields of light.
Alcestis (-438)
Fortune truly helps those who are of good judgement.
Disputed
Circumstances rule men and not men circumstances.
Misattributed
Slight not what's near through aiming at what's far.
Disputed
Man's best possession is a sympathetic wife.
Misattributed
Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.
Misattributed
Account no man happy till he dies.
Misattributed
I begin by taking. I shall find scholars later to demonstrate my perfect right.
Disputed
I maintain, Some shrewd man first, a man in counsel wise, Discovered unto men the fear of Gods, Thereby to frighten sinners should they sin E'en secretly in deed, or word, or thought.
Disputed
Most cunning doctrine did he introduce, The truth concealing under speech untrue. The place he spoke of as the God's abode Was that whereby he could affright men most,— The place from which, he knew, both terrors came And easements unto men of toilsome life— To wit the vault above, wherein do dwell The lightnings, he beheld, and awesome claps Of thunder, and the starry face of heaven, Fair-spangled by that cunning craftsman Time,— Whence, too, the meteor's glowing mass doth speed And liquid rain descends upon the earth.
Disputed
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