Theognis of Megara Quotes

• Not to be born at all would be the best thing for man.

  Theognis of Megara

  Men, Would Be, Being The Best

  12 Copy quote

• The greatest treasure you can leave your children is a sense of modesty and the advice to follow virtuous persons.

  Theognis of Megara

  Children, Parenting, Greatest Treasure

  8 Copy quote

• Ram, ass, and horse, my Kyrnos, we look over
  With care, and seek good stock for good to cover;
  And yet the best men make no argument,
  But wed, for money, runts of poor descent.
  So too a woman will demean her state
  And spurn the better for the richer mate.
  Money's the cry. Good stock to bad is wed
  And bad to good, till all the world's cross-bred.
  No wonder if the country's breed declines-
  Mixed metal, Kyrnos, that but dimly shines.

  Theognis of Megara

  Country, Horse, Men

  14 Copy quote

• Fairly examined, truly understood,
  No man is wholly bad, nor wholly good.

  Theognis of Megara

  Men, Understood

  Theognis of Megara, “Human Nature”

  12 Copy quote

• He who mistrusts most should be trusted least.

  Theognis of Megara

  Trust, Ethics, Should

  11 Copy quote

• One finds many companions for food and drink, but in a serious business a man's companions are very few.

  Theognis of Megara

  Business, Men, Cooking

  8 Copy quote

• Restrain thy mind, and let mildness ever attend thy tongue.

  Theognis of Megara

  Mind, Tongue, Mildness

  9 Copy quote

• Bright youth passes swiftly as a thought.

  Theognis of Megara

  Youth

  7 Copy quote

• Surfeit begets insolence, when prosperity comes to a bad man.

  Theognis of Megara

  Men, Disrespect, Prosperity

  7 Copy quote

• Even to a wicked man a divinity gives wealth, Cyrnus, but to few men comes the gift of excellence.

  Theognis of Megara

  Men, Giving, Excellence

  8 Copy quote

• When we are dead; rugs are no richer than a quick-thorn bed.

  Theognis of Megara

  Death, Dying, Bed

  4 Copy quote

• Ploutos , no wonder mortals worship you: You are so tolerant of their sins !

  Theognis of Megara

  Worship You, Wonder, Sin

  7 Copy quote

• Too many tongues have gates which fly apart
  Too easily, and care for many things
  That don't concern them.

  Theognis of Megara

  Care, Tongue, Concern

  4 Copy quote

• Rash, angry words, and spoken out of season, When passion has usurp'd the throne of reason, Have ruin'd many. Passion is unjust, And for an idle, transitory gust Of gratified revenge, dooms us to pay With long repentance at a later day.

  Theognis of Megara

  Revenge, Anger, Passion

  6 Copy quote

• Adopt the character of the twisting octopus, which takes on the appearance of the nearby rock . Now follow in this direction, now turn a different hue.

  Theognis of Megara

  Character, Rocks, Octopus

  5 Copy quote

• Unless the gods deceive my mind , That man is forging fetters for himself.

  Theognis of Megara

  Men, Mind, Deceiving

  4 Copy quote

• Boy, you're like a horse.
  Just now sated with seed,
  You've come back to my stable,
  Yearning for a good rider, fine meadow,
  An icy spring, shady groves.

  Theognis of Megara

  Horse, Spring, Boys

  12 Copy quote

• To many men well-fitting doors are not set on their tongues.

  Theognis of Megara

  Men, Doors, Tongue

  4 Copy quote

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