"Solon used to say that speech was the image of actions; . . . that laws were like cobwebs,--for that if any trifling or powerless thing fell into them, they held it fast; while if it were something weightier, it broke through them and was off."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Bion insisted on the principle that "The property of friends is common.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Asked what he gained from philosophy, he answered, "To do without being commanded what others do from fear of the laws.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"When asked what he would take to let a man give him a blow on the head, he said, "A helmet.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Aristippus said that a wise man's country was the world."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Another of his sayings was, that education was the best viaticum of old age."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Diogenes lighted a candle in the daytime, and went round saying, "I am looking for a man.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Very late in life, when he was studying geometry, some one said to Lacydes, "Is it then a time for you to be learning now?" "If it is not," he replied, "when will it be?""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

""Be of good cheer," said Diogenes; "I see land.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"When he was praised by some wicked men, he said, "I am sadly afraid that I must have done some wicked thing.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"When asked what wine he liked to drink, he replied, "That which belongs to another.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Anaximander used to assert that the primary cause of all things was the Infinite,--not defining exactly whether he meant air or water or anything else."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Bias used to say that men ought to calculate life both as if they were fated to live a long and a short time, and that they ought to love one another as if at a future time they would come to hate one another; for that most men were bad."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"When Thales was asked what was difficult, he said, "To know one's self." And what was easy, "To advise another.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The Stoics also teach that God is unity, and that he is called Mind and Fate and Jupiter, and by many other names besides."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Ignorance plays the chief part among men, and the multitude of words; but opportunity will prevail."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He alludes to the appearance of a face in the orb of the moon."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Among what he called his precepts were such as these: Do not stir the fire with a sword. Do not sit down on a bushel. Do not devour thy heart."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"It was a common saying of Myson that men ought not to investigate things from words, but words from things; for that things are not made for the sake of words, but words for things."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The mountains, too, at a distance appear airy masses and smooth, but seen near at hand, they are rough."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"And no man knows distinctly anything, And no man ever will."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Nothing can be produced out of nothing."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Time is the image of eternity."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He said that there was one only good, namely, knowledge; and one only evil, namely, ignorance."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Fortune is unstable, while our will is free."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He said that men ought to remember those friends who were absent as well as those who were present."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He used to say that personal beauty was a better introduction than any letter; but others say that it was Diogenes who gave this description of it, while Aristotle called beauty "the gift of God;" that Socrates called it "a short-lived tyranny;" Theophrastus, "a silent deceit;" Theocritus, "an ivory mischief;" Carneades, "a sovereignty which stood in need of no guards.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He was once asked what a friend is, and his answer was, "One soul abiding in two bodies.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"One of his sayings was, "Even the gods cannot strive against necessity.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Asked from what country he came, he replied, "I am a citizen of the world.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Diogenes said once to a person who was showing him a dial, "It is a very useful thing to save a man from being too late for supper.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Protagoras asserted that there were two sides to every question, exactly opposite to each other."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Solon gave the following advice: "Consider your honour, as a gentleman, of more weight than an oath. Never tell a lie. Pay attention to matters of importance.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He used to define justice as "a virtue of the soul distributing that which each person deserved.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"When Zeno was asked what a friend was, he replied, "Another I.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Who knows but that this life is really death, And whether death is not what men call life?"

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Like sending owls to Athens, as the proverb goes."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Epicurus laid down the doctrine that pleasure was the chief good."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Another was, "Watch your opportunity.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"One of the sophisms of Chrysippus was, "If you have not lost a thing, you have it.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"A man once asked Diogenes what was the proper time for supper, and he made answer, "If you are a rich man, whenever you please; and if you are a poor man, whenever you can.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"The question was put to him, what hope is; and his answer was, "The dream of a waking man.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He used to say that it was better to have one friend of great value than many friends who were good for nothing."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"But Chrysippus, Posidonius, Zeno, and Boëthus say, that all things are produced by fate. And fate is a connected cause of existing things, or the reason according to which the world is regulated."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Plato was continually saying to Xenocrates, "Sacrifice to the Graces.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Aristophanes turns Socrates into ridicule in his comedies, as making the worse appear the better reason."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"He used to say that other men lived to eat, but that he ate to live."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

""Bury me on my face," said Diogenes; and when he was asked why, he replied, "Because in a little while everything will be turned upside down.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"On one occasion Aristotle was asked how much educated men were superior to those uneducated: "As much," said he, "as the living are to the dead.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain

"Heraclitus says that Pittacus, when he had got Alcæus into his power, released him, saying, "Forgiveness is better than revenge.""

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed. (Little, Brown, 1905), public domain