Quotes from Homer

this alien earth I stride will hold me down at last. But

soon as rosy-fingered morning came forth from the first grey dawn

It is unfortunate for us, that, of some of the greatest men, we know least, and talk most. Homer, Socrates, and Shakespere have, perhaps, contributed more to the intellectual enlightenment of mankind than any other three writers who could be named, and yet the history of all three has given rise to a boundless ocean of discussion, which has left us little save the option of choosing which theory or theories we will follow.

Probability is a powerful and troublesome test; and it is by this troublesome standard that a large portion of historical evidence is sifted. Consistency is no less pertinacious and exacting in its demands.

The Wrath of Achilles is my theme, that fatal wrath which, in fulfillment of the will of Zeus, brought the Achaeans so much suffering and sent the gallant souls of many nobleman to Hades, leaving their bodies as carrion for the dogs and passing birds.

There can be no covenants between men and lions, wolves and lambs can never be of one mind, but hate each other out and out an through.

The gods envy us. They envy us because we're mortal, because any moment may be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.

But the Achaian men went silently, breathing valor,        stubbornly minded each in his heart to stand by the others.

Patroclus, in Achilles' arms, enlighten'd all with stars

The son of Peleus pressed on in search of glory, bespattering his unconquerable hands with gore.

No finer, greater gift in the world than that: When man and woman possess their home, two minds, two hearts that work as one. Despair to their enemies, a joy to all their friends. Their own best claim to glory.

What is this word that broke through the fence of your teeth, Atreides?

Both were gods of the same line, a single father, but Zeus was the elder-born and Zeus knew more.

Better to be the poor servant of a poor master.

There is no thought of death in your mind now, and yet death stands close beside you as you put on the immortal armor of a surpassing man.

Ay, ay, cómo culpan los mortales a los dioses!, pues de nosotros, dicen, proceden los males. Pero también ellos por su estupidez soportan dolores más allá de lo que les corresponde.

Im Frieden begraben die Söhne ihre Väter, im Krieg begraben Väter ihre Söhne.

The Odyssey puts us into a world that is a peculiar mixture of the strange and the familiar. The tension between strangeness and familiarity is in fact the poem's central subject.

As the sail bellied out with the wind, the ship flew through the deep blue water, and the foam hissed against her bows as she sped onward.

Fear not, but be bold: A decent boldness ever meets with friends, succeeds, and e'en a stranger recommends. Odyssey vii. 50.

Did fate, or we, when great Atrides died, Urge the bold traitor to the regicide?

Mirst?giem ?aud?m virs zemes maz dienu ir dz?v?bai lemtu. Ja k?dam ir cietsird?gs raksturs un cietsird?gs ir bijis pret citiem, Visi tam nov?l tik ?aunu, kam?r tas dz?vo virs zemes, Bet, ja kam krietna ir sirds, ja ar? t? domas ir krietnas, Teicamo slavu pa pasauli plašo starp mirst?giem ?aud?m Svešinieki aiznes un visi to d?v? par cildenu v?ru.

In The Odyssey, we find instead the story of a man whose grand adventure is simply to go back to his own home, where he tries to turn everything back to the way it was before he went away. For this hero, mere survival is the most amazing feat of all.

The race of men is like the race of leaves. As one generation flourishes, another decays.