Menander Quotes (-342--291)

“At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool.”

“The man who runs may fight again.
• Variant translation: The man who runs away will fight again.”

“Rest assured,
for every piece of business the most businesslike thing is
to choose the right moment.”

“τὰ σῦκα σῦκα, τὴν σκάφην σκάφην...
• I call a fig a fig, a spade a spade.”

“ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεὸς [ἡμῖν] ἐπεφάνηϛ
• You are by your epiphany a veritable "god from the machine."”

“ὃν οἱ θεοὶ φιλοῦσιν ἀποθνῄσκει νέος
• Whom the gods love dies young.
• Variant: ὃν οἱ θεοὶ φιλοῦσιν, ἀποθνῄσκει νέος.”

“This man has lived here
a reasonably long time and has gladly talked in his life
to no one, has spoken first to no one
except — of necessity, since he is a neighbor and passes by — me,
Pan. And he immediately regrets it,
I'm sure.”

“Even if you were a softy, you took the mattock, you dug,
you were willing to work. In this part he most shows himself a man,
whoever tolerates making himself equal to another,
rich to poor. For this man will bear a change of fortune
with self-control. You have given a sufficient proof of your character. 
I wish only that you remain as you are.”

“μειράκιον, οὔ μοι κατανοεῖν δοκεῖς ὅτι
ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἕκαστα κακίας σήπεται,
καὶ πᾶν τὸ λυμαινὁμενόν ...
• My son, you do not see
How everything that dies, dies by its own
Corruption: all that injures is within.
Rust is the poison of iron, moths of wool,
And worms of wood; in you there is a poison
Most deadly, which has made you sick to death
And makes and shall make—envy.”

“Take notice, Pheidias, that you are human yourself, and that the wretched man is also human, in order that you may not covet what's beyond you. But when you say that you suffer from insomnia, you'll know the cause if you'll examine yourself what man you are. You take a stroll in the market-place; you come in forthwith; if your two legs are tired you take a luxurious bath; you rise up and eat greedily at pleasure; your life itself is a sleep. In fine, you have no ill; your disease is luxury through which you have passed — but something rather hackneyed, my young master, occurs to me — please excuse me — as the saying goes, you know, you are so crowded by your blessings, know it well, that you have no room to defecate.”

“To say more than what's necessary
I don't think is appropriate for a man. Except know this, child —
for I wish to tell you a little about me and my character —
if everyone were like me there wouldn't be law courts,
and they wouldn't take them away to prisons,
and there wouldn't be wars, but having goods in measure each man would be happy.
But perhaps those things are more pleasing. Act that way.
This difficult and grouchy old man will be out of your way.
• Variant translation: I don't hold with people saying more than they need; but there is one thing more, my child, that I'd like you to know. I just want to say a few things to you about life, and the way people behave. You know, if we were all kind to one another, there'd be no need for law courts, there'd be no arresting people and putting them into prison, and there would be no more war. Everyone would have his little bit, and be content. But maybe you like modern ways better? Well, live that way, then! This difficult and bad-tempered old man will soon be out of the way.”