Quotes from Heraclitus

Of all whose words I have heard, no one attains to this, to know that wisdom is apart from all.

Though wisdom is common, yet the many live as if they had a wisdom of their own.

What is divine escapes men's notice because of their incredulity.

It would not be better if things happened to men just as they wish.

The best of men choose one thing in preference to all else, immortal glory in preference to mortal good; whereas the masses simply glut themselves like cattle.

No same man could walk through the same river twice, as the man and the river have since changed.

Men who wish to know about the world must learn about it in its particular details.

The world, an entity out of everything, was created by none of the gods or men, but was, is and will be eternally living fire, regularly becoming ignited and reg- ularly becoming extinguished.

Nature is wont to hide herself.

Much learning does not teach understanding.

If it were not for injustice, men would not know justice.

The universal cosmic process was not created by any god or man.

To me one man is worth ten thousand if he is first-rate.

A drunk man, staggering and mindless, must be led home by his son, so wet is his psyche... Water brings death to the psyche, as earth brings death to water... The psyche lusts to be wet.

There is but one world common for those who are awake, but when men are asleep, each turns away into a world of his own.

It is weariness to keep toiling at the same things so that one becomes ruled by them.

Change alone is unchanging.

It is difficult to fight against anger; for a man will buy revenge with his soul.

You can never step into the same river twice; for new waters are always flowing on to you.

The opposite is beneficial; from things that differ comes the fairest attunement; all things are born through strife.

Couples are wholes and not wholes, what agrees disagrees, the concordant is discordant. From all things one and from one all things.

A man's character is his fate.

This world… ever was, and is, and shall be, ever-living Fire, in measures being kindled and in measures going out.

The chain of wedlock is so heavy that it takes two to carry it - and sometimes three.