Quotes by Democritus

“Man is a universe in little [Microcosm].”

“Good breeding in cattle depends on physical health, but in men on a well-formed character.”

“Πολλοὶ πολυμαθέες νοῦν οὐκ ἔχουσιν.”

“Immoderate desire is the mark of a child, not a man.”

“Men have fashioned an image of Chance as an excuse for their own stupidity. For Chance rarely conflicts with intelligence, and most things in life can be set in order by an intelligent sharpsighted...”

“In a shared fish, there are no bones.”

“Education is an ornament for the prosperous, a refuge for the unfortunate.”

“Beautiful objects are wrought by study through effort, but ugly things are reaped automatically without toil.”

“The animal needing something knows how much it needs, the man does not.”

“Moderation multiplies pleasures, and increases pleasure.”

“The brave man is not only he who overcomes the enemy, but he who is stronger than pleasures. Some men are masters of cities, but are enslaved to women.”

“It is hard to fight desire; but to control it is the sign of a reasonable man.”

“The laws would not prevent each man from living according to his inclination, unless individuals harmed each other; for envy creates the beginning of strife.”

“To a wise man, the whole earth is open; for the native land of a good soul is the whole earth.”

“The man who is fortunate in his choice of son-in-law gains a son; the man unfortunate in his choice loses his daughter also.”

“Disease of the home and of the life comes about in the same way as that of the body.”

“Strength and beauty are the blessings of youth; temperance, however, is the flower of old age.”

“Man should know from this rule that he is cut off from truth.”

“This argument too shows that in truth we know nothing about anything, but every man shares the generally prevailing opinion.”

“And yet it will be obvious that it is difficult to really know of what sort each thing is.”