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
brevity goes greek-poet wisdom
Much wisdom often goes with brevity of speech.
wisdom men wisest-man
It is no weakness for the wisest man to learn when he is wrong.
wise wisdom men
Though a man be wise it is no shame for him to live and learn.
wisdom pride men
Man's highest blessedness, In wisdom chiefly stands; And in the things that touch upon the Gods, 'Tis best in word or deed To shun unholy pride; Great words of boasting bring great punishments, And so to grey-haired age Teach wisdom at the last.
wise wisdom past
The wise form right judgment of the present from what is past.
wise wisdom age
There is no such thing as the old age of the wise.
wise wisdom loss
The kind of man who always thinks that he is right, that his opinions, his pronouncements, are the final word, when once exposed shows nothing there. But a wise man has much to learn without a loss of dignity.
wisdom men drink
If you were to offer a thirsty man all wisdom, you would not please him more than if you gave him a drink.
wise wisdom men
A wise man does not chatter with one whose mind is sick.
cheating fail honor prefer win
I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating
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.