Plutarch quotes - page 6

It is circumstance and proper measure that give an action its character, and make it either good or bad. (Plutarch)

Cicero said loud-bawling orators were driven by their weakness to noise, as lame men to take horse.

Plutarch

When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but he that saith it never heard the sound of trumpets."

Plutarch

A remorseful change of mind renders even a noble action base, whereas the determination which is grounded on knowledge and reason cannot change even if its actions fail.

Plutarch

Knowledge of divine things for the most part, as Heraclitus says, is lost to us by incredulity.

Plutarch

Once when Phocion had delivered an opinion which pleased the people,... he turned to his friend and said, "Have I not unawares spoken some mischievous thing or other?"

Plutarch

Children are to be won to follow liberal studies by exhortations and rational motives, and on no account to be forced thereto by whipping.

Plutarch

There is no debt with so much prejudice put off as that of justice.

Plutarch

Demosthenes told Phocion, "The Athenians will kill you some day when they once are in a rage." "And you," said he, "if they are once in their senses."

Plutarch

He is a fool who lets slip a bird in the hand for a bird in the bush.

Plutarch

Anaximander says that men were first produced in fishes, and when they were grown up and able to help themselves were thrown up, and so lived upon the land. (Plutarch)

A physician, after he had felt the pulse of Pausanias, and considered his constitution, saying, "He ails nothing," "It is because, sir," he replied, "I use none of your physic."

Plutarch

Lycurgus the Lacedæmonian brought long hair into fashion among his countrymen, saying that it rendered those that were handsome more beautiful, and those that were deformed more terrible. To one that advised him to set up a democracy in Sparta, "Pray," said Lycurgus, "do you first set up a democracy in your own house."

Plutarch

Pompey had fought brilliantly and in the end routed Caesar's whole force... but either he was unable to or else he feared to push on. Caesar [said] to his friends: 'Today the enemy would have won, if they had had a commander who was a winner.

Plutarch

Empire may be gained by gold, not gold by empire. It used, indeed, to be a proverb that "It is not Philip, but Philip's gold that takes the cities of Greece."

Plutarch

The saying of old Antigonus, who when he was to fight at Andros, and one told him, "The enemy's ships are more than ours," replied, "For how many then wilt thou reckon me?"

Plutarch

Marius said, "I see the cure is not worth the pain."

Plutarch

When Philip had news brought him of divers and eminent successes in one day, "O Fortune!" said he, "for all these so great kindnesses do me some small mischief."

Plutarch

Cato said, "I had rather men should ask why my statue is not set up, than why it is."

Plutarch

And Archimedes, as he was washing, thought of a manner of computing the proportion of gold in King Hiero's crown by seeing the water flowing over the bathing-stool. He leaped up as one possessed or inspired, crying, "I have found it! Eureka!"

Plutarch

Themistocles being asked whether he would rather be Achilles or Homer, said, "Which would you rather be,-a conqueror in the Olympic games, or the crier that proclaims who are conquerors?" (Plutarch)

Xenophanes said, "I confess myself the greatest coward in the world, for I dare not do an ill thing."

Plutarch

There were two brothers called Both and Either; perceiving Either was a good, understanding, busy fellow, and Both a silly fellow and good for little, Philip said, "Either is both, and Both is neither."

Plutarch

To Harmodius, descended from the ancient Harmodius, when he reviled Iphicrates [a shoemaker's son] for his mean birth, "My nobility," said he, "begins in me, but yours ends in you."

Plutarch

I, for my own part, had much rather people should say of me that there neither is nor ever was such a man as Plutarch, than that they should say, "Plutarch is an unsteady, fickle, froward, vindictive, and touchy fellow."

Plutarch

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Plutarch

Plutarch - Image

Photo: Odysses, CC BY-SA 3.0

Occupation: Greek Philosopher
Quotes count: 308
Wikipedia: Plutarch

Related authors

Plato 332

Greek Philosopher

Thucydides 99

Greek Historian

Cicero 490

Roman Statesman

Aristotle 463

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Pericles 25

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Herodotus 80

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Alexander the Great 32

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Livy 76

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Julius Caesar 44

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Seneca 610

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