Euripides Quotes (-480--406)

“Time will explain it all. He is a talker, and needs no questioning before he speaks.”

“Παλαιὰ καινῶν λείπεται κηδευμάτων.
• Old ties give way to new.”

“Ἁμαρτεῖν εἰκὸς ἀνθρώπους, τέκνον.
• To err is only human, child.”

“Κούφα σοι χθὼν ἐπάνωθε πέσοι.
• Light be the earth upon you, lightly rest.”

“Τίς δ᾽ οὐ σεμνὸς ἀχθεινὸς βροτῶν.
• Reserve in man is ever galling.”

“Μοχθεῖν δὲ βροτοῖσιν ἀνάγκη.
• Suffering for mortals is nature's iron law.”

“Πείθειν δῶρα καὶ θεοὺς λόγος.
• It is said that gifts persuade even the gods.”

“Ὀνάσθαι, μὴ μαθεῖν, βούλου, τέκνον.
• Be content with help, not knowledge.”

“Τῶν δ᾽ ἀδοκήτων πόρον ηὗρε θεός.
• For the unlooked-for god finds out a way.”

“Χρόνος μαλάξει, νῦν δ᾽ ἔθ᾽ ἡβάσκει, κακόν.
• Time cancels young pain.”

“Οὐ γὰρ γελᾶσθαι τλητὸν ἐξ ἐχθρῶν.
• I cannot endure the taunts of enemies.”

“Ἄνω ποταμῶν ἱερῶν χώρονσι παγαί.
• The fountains of sacred rivers flow upwards.”

“Γυνὴ δὲ θῆλυ κἀπὶ δακρύοις ἔφυ.
• Woman is a weak creature, ever given to tears.”

“θνητῶν γὰρ οὐδείς ἐστιν εὐδαίμων ἀνήρ.
• Amongst mortals no man is happy.”

“Νέα γὰρ φροντὶς οὐκ ἀλγεῖν φιλεῖ.
• The soul of the young is no friend to sorrow.”

“Τοι κάλ᾽ ἐν πολλοῖσι κάλλιον λέγειν.
• A virtuous tale grows fairer told to many.”

“Κακῶς ἀκούειν οὐ μέλει θανόντι μοι.
• Dishonour will not trouble me, once I am dead.”

“ἡ γὰρ σιωπὴ τοῖς σοφοῖσ
ἀπόκρισις.
• Silence is an answer in the eyes of the wise.”

“Ἓν μὲν μέγιστον, οὐκ ἔχει παρρησίαν.
• But this is slavery, not to speak one’s thought.”

“"Η τοῖσιν εὐφρονοῦσι συμμαχεῖ τύχη.
• Fortune truly helps those who are of good judgement.”

“Ἡδύ τοι σωθέντα μεμνῆσθαι πόνων.
• Sweet is the remembrance of troubles when you are in safety.”

“Κακοῦ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς δῶρ᾽ ὄνησιν οὐκ ἔχει.
• The gifts of a bad man bring no good with them.”

“Ἡ γλῶσσ᾽ ὀμώμοχ᾽, ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος.
• 'Twas but my tongue, 'twas not my soul that swore.”

“Στέργοι δέ με σωφροσύνα, δώρημα κάλλιστον θεῶν.
• Moderation, the noblest gift of Heaven.”

“Εἰσὶν δ᾽ ἐπῳδαὶ καὶ λόγοι θελκτήριοι.
• For there are charms and spells to soothe the soul.”

“Χρὴ δὲ ξένον μὲν κάρτα προσχωρεῖν πόλει.
• A stranger most of all should adopt a city's views.”

“Φεῦ φεῦ, βροτοῖς ἔρωτες ὡς κακὸν μέγα.
• Ah me! ah me! to mortal man how dread a scourge is love!”

“Events will take their course, it is no good of being angry at them; he is happiest who wisely turns them to the best account.”

“Οὕτω τὸ λίαν ἧσσον ἐπαινῶ
τοῦ μηδὲν ἄγαν.
• I do not praise excess so much as moderation.”

“Πᾶσιν γὰρ εὖ φρονοῦσι συμμαχεῖ τύχη.
• For chance fights ever on the side of the prudent.”

“χρηστοῖσι δούλοις συμφορὰ τὰ δεσποτῶν.
• The misfortunes of their masters are a concern to good servants.”

“Οὔποτε φήσω γάμον εὐφραίνειν
πλέον ἢ λυπεῖν.
• Never say that marriage has more of joy than pain.”

“Χρυσὸς δὲ κρείσσων μυρίων λόγων βροτοῖς.
• O'er men's minds gold holds more potent sway than countless words.”

“Κἀν βροτοῖς
αἱ δεύτεραί πως φροντίδες σοφώτεραι.
• In this world second thoughts, it seems, are best.”

“Πρὸς τὰς τύχας γὰρ τὰς φρένας κεκτήμεθα.
• The credit we get for wisdom is measured by our success.”

“Humility, a sense of reverence before the sons of heaven — of all the prizes that a mortal man might win, these, I say, are wisest; these are best.”

“When good men die their goodness does not perish,
But lives though they are gone. As for the bad,
All that was theirs dies and is buried with them.”

“Καίτοι τάδε μὲν κέρδος ἀκεῖσθαι
μολπαῖσι βροτούς.
• This were surely a gain, to heal men's wounds by music's spell.”

“Ἐν σοφοῖσι γὰρ
τάδ᾽ ἐστὶ θνητῶν, λανθάνειν τὰ μὴ καλά.
• 'Tis part of human wisdom to conceal the deed of shame.”

“Τὸν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν
βίον λογίζου σόν, τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα τῆς τύχης.
• Count the present day thine own, the rest to Fortune yield.”

“Μό-
χθων δ᾽ οὐκ ἄλλος ὕπερθεν ἢ
γᾶς πατρίας στέρεσθαι.
• Of troubles none is greater than to be robbed of one’s native land.”

“Πᾶς δ᾽ ὀδυνηρὸς βίος ἀνθρώπων
κοὐκ ἔστι πόνων ἀνάπαυσις.
• Man's whole life is full of anguish; no respite from his woes he finds.”

“Ἥπερ μεγίστη γίγνεται σωτηρία,
ὅταν γυνὴ πρὸς ἄνδρα μὴ διχοστατῇ.
• The greatest safeguard this when wife and husband do agree.”

“Ὡς τρὶς ἂν παρ᾿ ἀσπίδα
στῆναι θέλοιμ᾿ ἂν μᾶλλον ἢ τεκεῖν ἅπαξ.
• I would gladly take my stand in battle array three times o'er, than once give birth.”

“I care for riches, to make gifts
To friends, or lead a sick man back to health
With ease and plenty. Else small aid is wealth
For daily gladness; once a man be done
With hunger, rich and poor are all as one.”

“λόγος γάρ ἐστιν οὐκ ἐμός, σοφὸν δ᾽ ἔπος,
δεινῆς ἀνάγκης οὐδὲν ἰσχύειν πλέον.
• Nothing has more strength than dire necessity.”

“Naught is more hostile to a city than a despot; where he is, there are in the first place no laws common to all, but one man is tyrant, in whose keeping and in his alone the law resides, and in that case equality is at an end.”

“Dionysus: He who believes needs no explanation.
Pentheus: What's the worth in believing worthless things?
Dionysus: Much worth, but not worth telling you, it seems.”

“Τὸ σῶφρον ὡς ἁπανταχοῦ καλὸν
καὶ δόξαν ἐσθλὴν ἐν βροτοῖς καρπίζεται.
• How fair is chastity however viewed, whose fruit is good repute amongst men.”

“Ἐμοὶ γὰρ ὅστις ἄδικος ὢν σοφὸς λέγειν
πέφυκε, πλείστην ζημίαν ὀφλισκάνει.
• To me a wicked man who is also eloquent seems the most guilty of them all.”

“Τίς δ᾽ οἶδεν εἰ ζῆν τοῦθ᾽ ὁ κέκληται θανεῖν,
τὸ ζῆν δὲ θνῄσκειν ἐστί
• Who knows but life be that which men call death,
And death what men call life?”

“Ἔρωτες ὑπὲρ μὲν ἄγαν ἐλθόντες οὐκ εὐδοξίαν
οὐδ᾽ ἀρετὰν παρέδωκαν ἀνδράσιν.
• When love is in excess it brings a man nor honor nor any worthiness.”

“Μισῶ δὲ καὶ τὰς σώφρονας μὲν ἐν λόγοις,
λάθρᾳ δὲ τόλμας οὐ καλὰς κεκτημένας.
• Those too I hate who make profession of purity, though in secret reckless sinners.”

“Δεινὸν σοφιστὴν εἶπας, ὅστις εὖ φρονεῖν
τοὺς μὴ φρονοῦντας δυνατός ἐστ᾽ ἀναγκάσαι.
• A very master in his craft the man, who can force fools to be wise!”

“ἁγὼ οὔτινι θύω πλὴν ἐμοὶ, θεοῖσι δ᾽ οὔ,
καὶ τῇ μεγίστῃ γαστρὶ τῇδε δαιμόνων.
• I sacrifice to no god save myself —
And to my belly, greatest of deities.”

“Mόνον δὲ τοῦτό φασ᾽ ἁμιλλᾶσθαι βίῳ,
γνώμην δικαίαν κἀγαθήν ὅτῳ παρῇ.
• One thing only, they say, competes in value with life, the possession of a heart blameless and good.”

“Ἐχθρὰ γὰρ ἡ 'πιοῦσα μητρυιὰ τέκνοις
τοῖς πρόσθ᾽, ἐχίδνης οὐδὲν ἠπιωτέρα.
• A second wife
is hateful to the children of the first,
a viper is not more hateful.”

“Γυνὴ γὰρ ὀξύθυμος, ὡς δ᾽ αὔτως ἀνήρ,
ῥᾴων φυλάσσειν ἢ σιωπηλὸς σοφή.
• For cunning woman, and man likewise, is easier to guard against when quick-tempered than when taciturn.”

“Δεινή τις ὀργὴ καὶ δυσίατος πέλει,
ὅταν φίλοι φίλοισι συμβάλωσ᾽ ἔριν.
• There is a something terrible and past all cure, when quarrels arise 'twixt those who are near and dear.”

“Ἀπωλόμεσθ᾽ ἄρ᾽, εἰ κακὸν προσοίσομεν
νέον παλαιῷ, πρὶν τόδ᾽ ἐξηντληκέναι.
• Undone are we, if to old woes fresh ones we add, ere we have drained the former to the dregs.”

“Ὅταν γὰρ ἡδὺς τοῖς λόγοις, φρονῶν κακῶς
πείθῃ τὸ πλῆθος, τῇ πόλει κακὸν μέγα.
• When one with honeyed words but evil mind
Persuades the mob, great woes befall the state.”

“Ὅταν γὰρ αἰσχρὰ τοῖσιν ἐσθλοῖσιν δοκῇ,
ἦ κάρτα δόξει τοῖς κακοῖς γ᾽ εἶναι καλά.
• For when the noble countenance disgrace, poor folk of course will think that it is right.”

“Ἁπλοῦς ὁ μῦθος τῆς ἀληθείας ἔφυ,
κοὐ ποικίλων δεῖ τἄνδιχ᾽ ἑρμηνευμάτων
• The words of truth are simple, and justice needs no subtle interpretations, for it hath a fitness in itself.”

“On behalf of all those dead
who learned their hatred of women long ago,
for those who hate them now, for those unborn
who shall live to hate them yet, I now declare
my firm conviction: neither earth nor ocean
produces a creature as savage and monstrous
as woman.”

“Κρεῖσσον δέ μοι νῦν πρός σ᾽ ἀπεχθέσθαι, γύναι,
ἢ μαλθακισθένθ᾽ ὕστερον μεταστένειν.
• 'Tis better for me to incur thy hatred now, lady, than to soften my heart and bitterly repent it hereafter.”

“Ὅταν δὲ σὺ στένῃς,
ἡμᾶς παρόντας χρή σε νουθετεῖν φίλα·
ἐπικουρίαι γὰρ αἵδε τοῖς φίλοις καλαί.
• Love is all we have, the only way
that each can help the other.”

“Πρὸς δὲ καὶ πεφύκαμεν
γυναῖκες, ἐς μὲν ἔσθλ᾽ ἀμηχανώταται,
κακῶν δὲ πάντων τέκτονες σοφώταται.
• We are women, unable to perform noble deeds, but most skilful architects of every sort of harm.”

“Τῶν γὰρ μετρίων πρῶτα μὲν εἰπεῖν
τοὔνομα νικᾷ, χρῆσθαί τε μακρῷ
λῷστα βροτοῖσιν.
• Moderate fortune has a name that is fairest on the tongue, and in practice it is by far the most beneficial thing for mortals.”

“Χρῆν γὰρ μετρίας εἰς ἀλλήλους
φιλίας θνητοὺς ἀνακίρνασθαι
καὶ μὴ πρὸς ἄκρον μυελὸν ψυχῆς.
• Mortal men should pledge themselves to moderate friendships only, not to such as reach the very heart's core.”

“Καὶ μανθάνω μὲν οἷα τολμήσω κακά,
θυμὸς δὲ κρείσσων τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων,
ὅσπερ μεγίστων αἴτιος κακῶν βροτοῖς.
• I know, indeed, the evil of that I purpose; but my inclination gets the better of my judgment.”

“Τὸ γὰρ ὀρθοῦσθαι γνώμην ὀδυνᾷ,
τὸ δὲ μαινόμενον κακόν: ἀλλὰ κρατεῖ
μὴ γιγνώσκοντ᾽ ἀπολέσθαι.
• Tis painful coming to one's senses again, and madness, evil though it be, has this advantage, that one has no knowledge of reason's overthrow.”

“— Δεινὸν οἱ πολλοί, κακούργους ὅταν ἔχωσι προστάτας.
— Ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν χρηστοὺς λάβωσι, χρηστὰ βουλεύουσ᾽ ἀεί.
• Orestes: A terrible thing is the mob, when it has villains to lead it.
Pylades: Aye, but with honest leaders its counsels are honest.”

“Ὦ φιλόζωοι βροτοὶ,
οἱ τὴν ἐπιστείχουσαν ἡμέραν ἰδεῖν
οὕτως ἔρως βροτοῖσιν ἐγκεῖται βίου
• O ye life-loving mortals,
Who ever long to see the coming day,
Though ye be weighed down with a thousand sorrows!
So strong the yearning of mankind for life.”

“ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς ἔρωτα πίπτουσιν βροτῶν
ἐσθλῶν ὅταν τύχωσι τῶν ἐρωμένων
οὐκ ἔσθ' ὁποίας λείπεται τῆς ἡδονῆς.
• When it befalls poor mortal men to love,
Should they find worthy objects for their loving,
Then is there nothing left of joy to long for.”

“Οὐ γάρ τι πρῶτος οὐδὲ λοίσθιος βροτῶν
γυναικὸς ἐσθλῆς ἤμπλακες: γίγνωσκε δὲ
ὡς πᾶσιν ἡμῖν κατθανεῖν ὀφείλεται.
• Thou art by no means the first nor yet shalt be the last of men to lose a wife of worth; know this, we all of us are debtors unto death.”

“Ὦ πατρίς, ὦ δώματα, μὴ
δῆτ᾽ ἄπολις γενοίμαν
τὸν ἀμηχανίας ἔχουσα
δυσπέρατον αἰῶ,
οἰκτρότατόν <γ᾽> ἀχέων.
• O my country, O my own dear home! God grant I may never be an outcast from my city, leading that cruel helpless life, whose every day is misery.”

“Χαλεπὰ γὰρ βροτοῖς ὁμογενῆ μιά-
σματ᾽, ἕπεται δ᾽ ἅμ᾽ αὐτοφόνταις ξυνῳ-
δὰ θεόθεν πίτνοντ᾽ ἐπὶ δόμοις ἄχη.
• Grievous for mortals is the stain of kindred blood. For the murderers are dogged by woes harmonious with their deeds, sent by the gods upon their houses.”

“κακὸν γυναῖκα πρὸς νέαν ζεῦξαι νέον·
μακρὰ γὰρ ἰσχὺς μᾶλλον ἀρσένων μένει,
θήλεια δ' ἥβη θᾶσσον ἐκλείπει δέμας.
• To mate a youth with a young wife is ill;
Seeing a man's strength lasteth, while the bloom
Of beauty quickly leaves a woman's form.”

“Χρῆν τἄρ᾽ ἄλλοθέν ποθεν βροτοὺς
παῖδας τεκνοῦσθαι, θῆλυ δ᾽ οὐκ εἶναι γένος:
χοὔτως ἂν οὐκ ἦν οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις κακόν.
• Men should have begotten children from some other source, no female race existing; thus would no evil ever have fallen on mankind.”

“Τὰ δ᾽ ὑπερβάλλοντ᾽
οὐδένα καιρὸν δύναται θνητοῖς,
μείζους δ᾽ ἄτας, ὅταν ὀργισθῇ
δαίμων οἴκοις, ἀπέδωκεν.
• But greatness that doth o'erreach itself, brings no blessing to mortal men; but pays a penalty of greater ruin whenever fortune is wroth with a family.”

“Ἐγὼ καὶ διὰ μούσας
καὶ μετάρσιος ᾖξα, καὶ
πλείστων ἁψάμενος λόγων
κρεῖσσον οὐδὲν Ἀνάγκας.
• I have found power in the mysteries of thought,
Exaltation in the changing of the Muses;
I have been versed in the reasonings of men;
But Fate is stronger than anything I have known.”

“Φεῦ φεῦ, παλαιὸς αἶνος ὡς καλῶς ἔχει·
γέροντες οὐδέν ἐσμεν ἄλλο πλὴν ψόφος
καὶ σχῆμ', ὀνείρων δ᾽ ἕρπομεν μιμήματα·
νοῦς δ᾽ οὐκ ἔνεστιν, οἰόμεσθα δ᾽ εὐ φρονεῖν.
• Alas, how right the ancient saying is:
We, who are old, are nothing else but noise
And shape. Like mimicries of dreams we go,
And have no wits, although we think us wise.”

“Μάτην ἄρ᾽ οἱ γέροντες εὔχονται θανεῖν,
γῆρας ψέγοντες καὶ μακρὸν χρόνον βίου:
ἢν δ᾽ ἐγγὺς ἔλθῃ θάνατος, οὐδεὶς βούλεται
θνῄσκειν, τὸ γῆρας δ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ ἔστ᾽ αὐτοῖς βαρύ.
• Old men's prayers for death are lying prayers, in which they abuse old age and long extent of life. But when death draws near, not one is willing to die, and age no longer is a burden to them.”

“Helen: What happened in my heart, to make me leave my home
And my own land, to follow where a stranger led?
Rail at the goddess; be more resolute than Zeus,
Who holds power over all other divinities
But is himself the slave of love. Show Aphrodite
Your indignation; me, pardon and sympathy.
Hecabe: No; Paris was an extremely handsome man – one look,
And your appetite became your Aphrodite. Why,
Men's lawless lusts are all called love – it's a confusion
Easily made.”

“Βροτοῖς ἅπασι κατθανεῖν ὀφείλεται,
κοὐκ ἔστι θνητῶν ὅστις ἐξεπίσταται
τὴν αὔριον μέλλουσαν εἰ βιώσεται:
τὸ τῆς τύχης γὰρ ἀφανὲς οἷ προβήσεται,
κἄστ᾽ οὐ διδακτὸν οὐδ᾽ ἁλίσκεται τέχνῃ.
• Death is the common debt of man; no mortal really knows if he will live to see the morrow's light; for Fortune's issues are not in our ken, beyond the teacher's rule they lie, no art can master them.”

“Πάντων δ᾽ ὅσ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἔμψυχα καὶ γνώμην ἔχει
γυναῖκές ἐσμεν ἀθλιώτατον φυτόν:
ἃς πρῶτα μὲν δεῖ χρημάτων ὑπερβολῇ
πόσιν πρίασθαι, δεσπότην τε σώματος [...]
κἀν τῷδ᾽ ἀγὼν μέγιστος, ἢ κακὸν λαβεῖν
ἢ χρηστόν.
• Of all things that have life and sense we women are the most hapless creatures; first must we buy a husband at an exorbitant price, and o'er ourselves a tyrant set which is an evil worse than the first; and herein lies the most important issue, whether bur choice be good or bad.”

“Εἰ δ᾽ Ὀρφέως μοι γλῶσσα καὶ μέλος παρῆν,
ὥστ᾽ ἢ κόρην Δήμητρος ἢ κείνης πόσιν
ὕμνοισι κηλήσαντά σ᾽ ἐξ Ἅιδου λαβεῖν,
κατῆλθον ἄν, καί μ᾽ οὔθ᾽ ὁ Πλούτωνος κύων
οὔθ᾽ οὑπὶ κώπῃ ψυχοπομπὸς ἂν Χάρων
ἔσχον, πρὶν ἐς φῶς σὸν καταστῆσαι βίον.
• Oh, if I had Orpheus' voice and poetry
with which to move the Dark Maid and her Lord,
I'd call you back, dear love, from the world below.
I'd go down there for you. Charôn or the grim
King's dog could not prevent me then
from carrying you up into the fields of light.”

“Φησίν τις εἶναι δῆτ᾽ ἐν οὐρανῷ θεούς;
οὐκ εἰσίν, οὐκ εἴσ᾽, εἴ τις ἀνθρώπων θέλει
μὴ τῷ παλαιῷ μῶρος ὢν χρῆσθαι λόγῳ.
σκέψασθε δ᾽ αὐτοί, μὴ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις
γνώμην ἔχοντες. φήμ᾽ ἐγὼ τυραννίδα
κτείνειν τε πλείστους κτημάτων τ᾿ ἀποστερεῖν
ὅρκους τε παραβαίνοντας ἐκπορθεῖν πόλεις·
καὶ ταῦτα δρῶντες μᾶλλόν εἰσ᾽ εὐδαίμονες.
τῶν εὐσεβούντων ἡσυχῇ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν.
πόλεις τε μικρὰς οἶδα τιμώσας θεούς,
αἳ μειζόνων κλύουσι δυσσεβεστέρων
λόγχης ἀριθμῷ πλείονος κρατούμεναι.
οἶμαι δ᾽ ἂν ὑμᾶς, εἴ τις ἀργὸς ὢν θεοῖς
εὔχοιτο καὶ μὴ χειρὶ συλλέγοι βίον,
μαθεῖν ἂν ὡς οὐκ εἰσίν. αἱ δ᾽ εὐπραξίαι
τὰ θεῖα πυργοῦσ᾽ αἱ κακαί τε συμφοραί.
• Doth some one say that there be gods above?
There are not; no, there are not. Let no fool,
Led by the old false fable, thus deceive you.
Look at the facts themselves, yielding my words
No undue credence: for I say that kings
Kill, rob, break oaths, lay cities waste by fraud,
And doing thus are happier than those
Who live calm pious lives day after day.
How many little States that serve the gods
Are subject to the godless but more strong,
Made slaves by might of a superior army!
And you, if any ceased from work and prayed
To gods, nor gathered in his livelihood,
Would learn gods are not. All Divinity
Is built up from our good and evil luck.”