Ancient Greek philosophers were the founders of Western thought, and their ideas and wisdom left a valuable legacy for future generations. With deep insight and remarkable wisdom, they reveal the meaning and purpose of human existence. Their quotes illuminate the path of people like beacons and become the essence of human wisdom. This article will introduce 80 classic quotes from 10 ancient Greek philosophers, and lead readers to explore the world of wisdom of these great philosophers.
Socrates
Socrates was one of the three sages of ancient Greece and is known as the founder of Western philosophy. He put forward the philosophical idea of "knowing oneself", emphasizing that people should reflect and self-know about their own hearts. Here are a few of his classic quotes:
1.Knowing one's own ignorance is the greatest wisdom.
2.I only know one thing, and that is that I don't know anything.
3.If you want to control the world, you must first be able to control yourself.
4.An unexamined life is not worth living.
5.There are two kinds of people in this world, one is a happy pig and the other is a miserable person, who is a miserable person and not a happy pig.
6.The most precious thing in the world is not "ungained" and "lost", but "happiness" that can be grasped now.
7.The most passionate love will have the most indifferent ending.
8.Whether a person can achieve success depends only on whether he has two conditions: self-esteem and self-confidence.
9.Shut your mouth when you are angry, so as not to increase your anger.
10.You are a gold mine yourself, and the key is to see how you can discover and reuse yourself.
These famous sayings embody Socrates' deep thinking on human nature, self-knowledge, and wisdom in life, which are worthy of our in-depth understanding and reflection.
Plato
Plato was a student of Socrates and one of the greatest of the ancient Greek philosophers. He came up with the concept of ideas and saw them as something beyond reality that existed in the real world. Here are a few classic quotes from Plato:
1.Knowledge is the strongest of all abilities.
2.Whoever tells the story controls the world.
3.Thinking is the self-talk of the soul.
4.If the will is not pure, then knowledge is enough to do harm.
5.If the sharp criticism disappears completely, the mild criticism will become harsh; If mild criticism is not allowed, silence will be considered ill-intentioned; If silence is no longer allowed, it would be a crime to praise not enough force; If only one voice is allowed to exist, then the only voice that exists is a lie.
These quotes embody Plato's deep reflections on ideas, knowledge, and society, and provoke people to think about truth and justice.
Aristotle
Aristotle was one of the most important philosophers of ancient Greece, and his ideas had a profound impact on Western philosophy. Here are a few classic quotes from Aristotle:
1.Education is an ornament for the rich and a refuge for the poor.
2.The so-called slave is the person whose desire triumphs over reason.
3.Only those who overcome their fears can attain true freedom.
4.We can't influence others intellectually, but emotions do.
5.The outliers are either beasts or gods. I want to be like a god, not a trapped beast.
6.What we do repeatedly every day makes us, and then you will find that excellence is not a behavior, but a habit.
7.The ultimate value of life lies in the ability to awaken and think, not just to survive.
These quotes embody Aristotle's profound insights into education, freedom, humanity and life, and provide important directions for thinking about the individual and society.
Thales
Known as the "Father of Philosophy", Thales was an ancient Greek politician, astronomer, and philosopher. Here are a few classic quotes from Thales:
1.We are born from water, and we will return to water when we die, water is the origin of all things, and all things will eventually return to water.
2.Only those who never look up at the stars will not fall into the pit. Only those who stand on a high place have the right and freedom to fall from a high place into the pit. How can a man who has no knowledge fall into a pit from above, who is already lying in a pit?
3.Others live for food, I eat for survival.
4.I think that the so-called fearlessness is actually crossing the fear of the heart.
5.To find out the only wise thing, to choose the only good thing.
These quotes embody Thales' reflections on nature and life, inspiring people to explore the mysteries of the universe and human existence.
Pythagoras
Pythagoras was a famous Greek mathematician and philosopher whose ethics was based on numerical mysticism. Here are a few classic quotes from Pythagoras:
1.Anger begins with stupidity and ends with regret.
2.A person who cannot restrain himself cannot be called a free person.
3.Think before you act, so as not to do something stupid. Because hasty actions and words are despicable characteristics.
4.Other animals are also intellectual, enthusiastic, and rational only humans have.
5.If you are not good at refusing, you will often become a reluctant spiritual slave.
These quotes embody Pythagoras' important ideas of self-discipline, sober thinking, and personal development, inspiring the pursuit of truth and virtue.
Anaximander
Anaximander was an ancient Greek philosopher who developed the concept of "infinite entities", emphasizing that things are made up of a single substance. Here are a few classic quotes from Anaximande:
1.Don't lose to the drama of life, you must be the director yourself.
2.There is no successful way to take a chance, only hard work and perseverance.
3.Focus on the big picture and don't get distracted by the trivial.
4.Choose your friendships carefully, but be sincere and honest with the friends you associate with.
5.The challenges that inevitably arise in life are meant to temper us and make us stronger.
These quotes embody Anaximande's reflections on personal development, relationships, and life challenges, providing people with the faith to face difficult situations positively.
Heraclitus
Heraclitus was an ancient Greek philosopher who believed that fire is the origin of everything in the world and the driving force behind the movement of all things. Here are a few classic quotes from Heraclitus:
1.One cannot step into the same river twice, because neither the river nor the person is already different.
2.Only change is eternal.
3.It is difficult to fight with the heart, because every desire is paid for the soul.
4.Others live for food, I eat for survival.
5.I think that the so-called fearlessness is actually crossing the fear of the heart.
These quotes embody Heraclitus' important insights into change, self-awareness, and inner exploration, inspiring people to think about the meaning of human existence.
Parmenides
Parmenides' existential theory was the founder of philosophy, and his teachings had a profound influence on later philosophers. Here are a few classic quotes from Parmenides:
1.Knowledge is a powerful force, and it is only through it that people can develop their true abilities.
2.The power of love is endless, and as long as we have love in our hearts, we can transcend everything.
3.What is the most important thing in life? It is to face every step of the way with honesty and conscience.
4.Thinking and creating to the extreme is the most important asset we have.
These quotes embody Parmenides' focus on knowledge, love, and an attitude to life, providing guidance for people to strive for excellence and a good life.
Augustine
Augustine is one of the exponents of patristic philosophy in the Middle Ages, and his ideas have had a profound impact on Western philosophy. Here are a few classic quotes from Augustine:
1.Time is the best doctor.
2.The world is a book, and those who do not travel see only one page of it.
3.People like to listen to other people's lives, but they don't want to improve their own.
4.If you are silent, be silent out of love. If you speak up, speak out of love.
5.If you don't check a bad habit, it won't be long before it becomes a necessity in your life.
These quotes embody Augustine's reflections on time, personal growth, and self-reflection, leading people to focus on inner peace and personal development.
Zeno
Zeno was a famous mathematician and philosopher in ancient Greece, and his paradoxes had an important impact on both mathematics and philosophy. Here are a few classic quotes from Zeno:
1.Beauty is the flower of simplicity.
2.We have two ears, but only one mouth, so we should listen more and talk less.
3.An object moving at point A can never reach point B. Because, before it reaches point B, it must first cover half the distance between the two points of AB; And before that, it has to cover half of that half-distance. Therefore, it will never reach point B.
4.The area of the big circle is my knowledge, and the area of the small circle is your knowledge. I know more than you. The outside of these two circles is the part that you and I don't know about. The circumference of the great circle is longer than the small circle, and therefore, the scope of ignorance that I am exposed to is wider than yours. That's why I often doubt myself.
These quotes exemplify Zeno's emphasis on beauty, communication, and speculation, and inspire people to think about the relationship between mathematics and philosophy and the limitations of human cognition.
Summary
Ancient Greek philosophers, with their wisdom and insight, pioneered the cornerstone of Western philosophy and provided a valuable asset to the human mind. Their quotes are classics that reflect a deep reflection on life, truth, and wisdom. By learning and appreciating their wisdom, we can better understand ourselves and the world, leading us in our pursuit of truth, goodness, and happiness. Let us remember the wisdom of these great philosophers, integrate it into our lives, and become the inheritors of wisdom to promote the progress of human thought and the development of society.