Quotes from Euripides

How dreadful a thing, mother, is the enmity of relations, having means of reconciliation seldom to be brought about!

And this is a grief beyond the reality, if a man incurs blame for sins that are not his.

IOL. O ye who have dwelt in Athens a long time, defend us; for, being suppliants of Jove, the Presider over the Forum, [3] we are treated with violence, and our garlands are profaned, both a reproach to the city, and an insult to the Gods.

Such things accursed war brings in its train

wealth is honored most of all things by men, and has the greatest influence of any thing among men. In pursuit of which I am come, leading hither ten thousand spears: for a nobly-born man in poverty is nothing.

AG. I envy thee, old man, and I envy that man who has passed through a life without danger, unknown, unglorious; but I less envy those in honor. OLD M. And yet 'tis in this that the glory of life is. AG. But this very glory is uncertain, for the love of popularity is pleasant indeed, but hurts when present. Sometimes the worship of the Gods not rightly conducted upturns one's life, and sometimes the many and dissatisfied opinions of men harass.

A prudent scepticism is the most profitable quality a man can have.

CHOR. Who can decide what is right, or understand an argument, till he has clearly heard the statement of both?

Pray the gods do not envy your happiness!

for if this shall be, and they ratify your words, I no longer know this Athens as free.

But I know their disposition and nature; they will rather die; for among virtuous men, disgrace is considered before life.

Art silent? But there is no use of silence in misfortunes; for the heart which desires to hear all things, is found eager also in the case of ills. It is not indeed right, my father, to conceal thy misfortunes from friends, and even more than friends.

Cualquiera que le diga palabras sabias a un ignorante parecerá que no está en su sano juicio (Las Bacantes, 409 aC)

but one thing ye do not know, nor yet have investigated, to teach those to be wise who have no intellect! HIPP. A clever sophist this you speak of, who is able to compel those who have no wisdom to be rightly wise. But (for thou art arguing too refinedly on no suitable occasion) I fear, O father, lest thy tongue be talking at random through thy woes.

Mars hates those who delay; but if you fear the weight of arms, now then go forth unarmed

A bad housewife then of life you account her, if through hatred of thee she lost what was most dear to her. But wilt thou say that there is not this folly in men, but that there is in women? I myself have known young men who were not a whit more steady than women, when Venus disturbed the youthful mind: but their pretense of manliness protects them.

But I am unadorned with phrase to speak to the multitude, but to speak to my equals and to a few, more expert: but this also has consistency in it; for those, who are of no account among the wise, are more fitted to speak before the rabble.

nor am I the derider of my associates, O father, but the same man to my friends when they are not present, and when I am with them.

I am in love, it seems, with what cannot be

IPH. Thus much at least, does the wife of the unhappy man live? OR. She is no more. The son she brought forth, he slew her. IPH. O house all troubled! with what intent, then? [71] OR. Taking satisfaction on her for the death of his father. IPH. Alas! how well he executed an evil act of justice. [72] OR. But, though just, he hath not good fortune from the Gods.

OR. Nor are the Gods who are called wise any less false than winged dreams. There is much inconsistency both among the Gods and among mortals.

But if any far-off state there be Dearer than life to mortality, The hand of the Dark hath hold thereof, And mist is under the mist above; So we are sick for life, and cling On earth to this nameless and shining thing, For other life is a fountain sealed, And the deeps below are unrevealed, And we drift on legends for ever.

It is right for women to stand by a woman's cause.

The classes of citizens are three. The rich are useless, always lusting after more. Those who have not, and live in want, are a menace, ridden with envy and fooled by demagogues; their malice stings the owners. Of the three, the middle part saves cities.