Sophocles
Sophocles
Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides. Sophocles wrote 120 plays during the course of his life, but only seven have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus. For almost 50 years, Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPoet
greek-poet men nor prophet waits
Men may know many things by seeing; but no prophet can see before the event, nor what end waits for him.
good greek-poet hold ignorant men until
Ignorant men don't know what good they hold in their hands until they've flung it away.
among ancient call cannot good greek-poet life man men mortals saying thoroughly understand
There is an ancient saying among men that you cannot thoroughly understand the life of mortals before the man has died, then only can you call it good or bad.
love-life men age
No man loves life like him that's growing old.
work men acting
A word does not frighten the man who, in acting feels no fear.
war men good-man
War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always.
men expectations evil
A cunning fellow is man, inventive beyond all expectation, he reaches sometimes evil and sometimes good
men understanding firsts
Whenever the deity contrives misfortunes for a man, he first harms their understanding.
men casting worship
For the gods, though slow to see, see well, whenever a man casting aside worship turns folly.
hope men noble-man
Each say following another, either hastening or putting off our death--what pleasure does it bring? I count that man worthless whois cheered by empty hopes. No, a noble man must either live or die well.
hope men deception
To many men much-wandering hope comes as a boon, but to many others it is the deception of vain desires.
men judging ancient
There is an ancient saying, famous among men, that thou shouldst not judge fully of a man's life before he dieth, whether it should be called blest or wretched.
men deeds-done kind-deeds
To be doing good deeds is man's most glorious task.
men gains ruins
Hope has often caused the love of gain to ruin men.