Heraclitus Quotes

The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become.

There is nothing permanent except change.

Big results require big ambitions.

No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.

Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.

Dogs bark at what they don't understand.

Change alone is unchanging.

Those who are awake all live in the same world. Those who are asleep live in their own worlds.

What is divine escapes men's notice because of their incredulity.

Those who approach life like a child playing a game, moving and pushing pieces, possess the power of kings.

Day by day, what you do is who you become.

All things flow, nothing abides. You cannot step into the same river twice, for the waters are continually flowing on. Nothing is permanent except change.

A man's character is his fate.

A hidden connection is stronger than an obvious one.

Those who love wisdom must investigate many things

Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play.

When men dream, each has his own world. When they are awake, they have a common world.

The most beautiful ape is ugly when compared to a human. The wisest human will seem like an ape when compared to a god with respect to wisdom, beauty, and everything else.

Learning many things does not teach understanding

It is hard to contend against one's heart's desire; for whatever it wishes to have it buys at the cost of soul.

Religion is a disease, but it is a noble disease.

If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not recognize it when it arrives.

Eyes and ears are poor witnesses to people if they have uncultured souls.

It would not be better if things happened to men just as they wish.

You cannot step into the same river twice.

The best of men choose one thing in preference to all else, immortal glory in preference to mortal good; whereas the masses simply glut themselves like cattle.

War is the mother of everything.

Time is a game played beautifully by children.

To get everything you want is not a good thing. Disease makes health seem sweet. Hunger leads to the appreciation of being full-fed. Tiredness creates the enjoyment of resting

It is better to hide ignorance, but it is hard to do this when we relax over wine.

To be evenminded is the greatest virtue. Wisdom is to speak the truth and act in keeping with its nature.

The sun is new each day.

To God everything is beautiful, good, and just; humans, however, think some things are unjust and others just.

If you do not hope, you will not win that which is not hoped for, since it is unattainable and inaccessible.

Presumption must be quenched even more than a fire.

The unlike is joined together, and from differences results the most beautiful harmony.

The wise is one only. It is unwilling and willing to be called by the name of Zeus.

What are men? Mortal gods. What are gods? Immortal men.

Nothing is, everything is becoming.

Abundance of knowledge does not teach men to be wise.

There is nothing permanent except change. [Therefore enjoy what good you have while you have it and endure and outlast what bad you can't cure immediately]

Even a soul submerged in sleep is hard at work and helps make something of the world.

Eyes are more accurate witnesses than ears.

No same man could walk through the same river twice, as the man and the river have since changed.

Everything flows, nothing stays still.

The world is nothing but a great desire to live and a great dissatisfaction with living.

Nothing is permanent but change.

Because it is so unbelievable, the truth often escapes being known.

Couples are wholes and not wholes, what agrees disagrees, the concordant is discordant. From all things one and from one all things.

The Cosmos was not made by gods but always was and is eternal fire.