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Sophocles Quotes
497 BC–405 BC Greece
Sophocles (Greek: Σοφοκλῆς; c. 497/496 – winter 406/405 BC) was an ancient Greek tragedian known as one of three from whom at least two plays have survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or contemporary with, those of Aeschylus and earlier than, or contemporary with, those of Euripides.
Greece Playwrights Poets Politicians Also known as: Antigone, Oedipus rex
Random Sophocles quote
181 quotes
Whoe'er imagines prudence all his own,
Unwanted favours gain no gratitude.
No enemy is worse than bad advice.
Second Messenger: The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves.
Faith dies, distrust is born.
Fear? What has a man to do with fear? Chance rules our lives, and the future is all unknown. Best live as we may, from day to day.
Chorus: Let every man in mankind's frailty
I have nothing but contempt for the kind of governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows is best for the State; and as for the man who sets private friendship above the public welfare — I have no use for him, either.
Creon
Nothing so evil as money ever grew to be current among men. This lays cities low, this drives men from their homes, this trains and warps honest souls till they set themselves to works of shame; this still teaches folk to practise villainies, and to know every godless deed. But all the men who wrought this thing for hire have made it sure that, soon or late, they shall pay the price.
Man's highest blessedness
When ice appears out of doors, and boys seize it up while it is solid, at first they experience new pleasures. But in the end their pride will not agree to let it go, but their acquisition is not good for them if it stays in their hands. In the same way an identical desire drives lovers to act and not to act.
Jocasta: Fear? What has a man to do with fear? Chance rules our lives, and the future is all unknown. Best live as we may, from day to day.
Teiresias: I will not wound myself nor thee. Why seek
γύναι, γυναιξὶ κόσμον ἡ σιγὴ φέρει.
Heaven ne'er helps the men who will not act.
Misattributed
All time is the right time for saying what is just.
Misattributed
If I am Sophocles, I am not mad; and if I am mad, I am not Sophocles.
Attributed
Divine visions and shadows of things that are.
Misattributed
Sophocles said, that only after handling with a light touch the turgidity of Aeschylus and next his harshness and artificiality in composition, did he, as a third step, change the character of the language, which has the most to do with moral character and goodness.
Attributed
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