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
soul self-improvement glory
It is only great souls that know how much glory there is in being good.
order soul god-love
The gods love those of ordered soul.
suicide sleep soul
Better to die, and sleep The never-waking sleep, than linger on And dare to live when the soul's life is gone.
eye sight soul
As sight is in the eye, so is the mind in the soul!
nurse evil soul
The soul that has conceived one wickedness can nurse no good thereafter.
cheating fail honor prefer win
I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating
brevity goes greek-poet wisdom
Much wisdom often goes with brevity of speech.
certainty learns though until
One learns by doing the thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try
bad brings loves messenger news none
None loves the messenger who brings bad news.
crosses driven none path power stormy threaten white wonderful wonders
Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than the power that crosses the white sea, driven by the stormy wind, making a path under surges that threaten to engulf him...
dreadful greek-poet knowledge truth
How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth.
death wants
For death is not the worst, but when one wants to die and is not able even to have that.
shalt
If we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: 'Thou shalt not ration justice.'
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.