Sophocles Quotes (225 Quotes)

Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.

Nobody loves life like an old man.

Not to be born is best. The second best is to have seen the light and then to go back quickly when we came.

It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.

Evil counsel travels fast.

How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth.

A wise doctor does not mutter incantations over a sore that needs the knife.

Much wisdom often goes with brevity of speech.

Ignorant men don't know what good they hold in their hands until they've flung it away.

Whoever neglects the arts when he is young has lost the past and is dead to the future.

It is terrible to speak well and be wrong.

But whoever gives birth to useless children, what would you say of him except that he has bred sorrows for himself, and furnishes laughter for his enemies.

One's own escape from troubles makes one glad but bringing friends to trouble is hard grief.

I would rather miss the mark acting well than win the day acting basely.

Hide nothing, for time, which sees all and hears all, exposes all.

Not all things are to be discovered; many are better concealed.

Death is not the worst rather, in vainTo wish for death, and not to compass it.

Look and you will find it - what is unsought will go undetected.

What men have seen they know....

Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it.

There is no success without hardship.

There is an ancient saying among men that you cannot thoroughly understand the life of mortals before the man has died, then only can you call it good or bad.

Kindness gives birth to kindness.

All is disgust when a man leaves his own nature and does what is unfit.

If you have done terrible things, you must endure terrible things; for thus the sacred light of injustice shines bright.