Sophocles Quotes

I was not born to share the hate, but love.

Even the bold will fly when they see Death drawing in close enough to end their life.

Not even Ares battles against necessity.

Oh child, may you be happier than your father, but in all other respects alike. And then you would not be bad.

Whoever thinks his friend more important than his country, I rate him nowhere.

A friend in word is never friend of mine.

Whenever the deity contrives misfortunes for a man, he first harms their understanding.

To revive sorrow is cruel.

Of all human ills, greatest is fortune's wayward tyranny.

The Greeks could be a crushing bore. I recommend dressing everyone in combat fatigues or S&M gear.

A broad-backed ox can be driven straight on his road even by a small goad.

When trouble ends even troubles please.

From suffering that has been/ Decreed no man will ever find escape

The tyrant is a child of Pride Who drinks from his sickening cup Recklessness and vanity, Until from his high crest headlong He plummets to the dust of hope.

Let every man in mankind's frailtyConsider his last day; and let nonePresume on his good fortune until he findLife, at his death, a memory without pain.

And if my present actions strike you as foolish, let's just say I've been accused of folly by a fool.

I was born to join in love, not hate - that is my nature.

Rather throw away that which is dearest to you, your own life, than turn away a good friend.

Success is dependant on effort.

Success is the reward for toil.

The sleep of a sick man has keen eyes. It is a sleep unsleeping.

Many are the things that man seeing must understand. Not seeing, how shall he know what lies in the hand of time to come?

What is to be taught I learn; what is to be discovered I seek; what is to be prayed for I sought from the gods.

Let be the future: mind the present need and leave the rest to whom the rest concerns ... present tasks claim our care: the ordering of the future rests where it should rest.

The wise form right judgment of the present from what is past.

An enemy's gift is ruinous and no gift.

The man from whom the joys of life have departed is living no more, but should be counted with the dead.

Enemies gifts are no gifts and do no good.

A man who deals in fairness with his own, he can make manifest justice in the state.

Fortune raises up and fortune brings low both the man who fares well and the one who fares badly; and there is no prophet of the future for mortal men.

Trouble brings trouble upon trouble.

The rewards of virtue alone abide secure.

To err from the right path is common to mankind.

Oh death, death, why do you never come to me thus summoned always day by day?

Better not to exist than live basely.

One's own escape from troubles makes one glad; but bringing friends to trouble is hard grief.

To know that all is well, even if late will come to know it, is at least some gain.

Sleep, ignorant of pain, sleep, ignorant of grief, may you come to us blowing softly, kindly, kindly come king.

Best of children, sisters arm-in-arm, we must bear what the gods give us to bear-- don't fire up your hearts with so much grief. No reason to blame the pass you've come to now.

It made our hair stand up in panic fear.

Count no mortal fortunate till he has departed this life free from pain.

It is not righteousness to outrage

Hope has often caused the love of gain to ruin men.

Men's minds are given to change in hate and friendship.

For the gods, though slow to see, see well, whenever a man casting aside worship turns folly.

I see that all of us who live are nothing but images or insubstantial shadow.

You clearly hate to yield, but you will regret it when your anger has passed. Such natures are justly the hardest for themselves to bear.

Not to be born surpasses thought and speech. The second best is to have seen the light and then go back quickly whence we came

Having advanced to the limit of boldness, child, you have stumbled against the lofty pedestal of Justice.

As they say of the blind, Sounds are the things I see.