44 Quotes by Aristophanes
Aristophanes was a Greek playwright who lived in the 5th century BCE. He is considered to be one of the greatest comedic writers of all time and his plays are known for their satire and social commentary. His most famous work is "Lysistrata," which tells the story of women who withhold sex from their husbands as a means of ending the Peloponnesian War. His plays were often controversial and challenged the norms of society at the time. Today, his works continue to be performed and studied around the world. (Bio)
Aristophanes Quotes
Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever. (Meaning)
A man's homeland is wherever he prospers.
Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.
Ignorance can be cured, but stupidity is forever
Wise people, even though all laws were abolished, would still lead the same life.
You cannot teach a crab to walk straight.
A man may learn wisdom even from a foe.
Characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.
By words the mind is winged.
When men drink, then they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends. Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
Comedy too can sometimes discern what is right. I shall not please, but I shall say what is true.
Times change. The vices of your age are stylish today.
Old age is second childhood.
This is what extremely grieves us, that a man who never fought Should contrive our fees to pilfer, on who for his native land Never to this day had oar, or lance, or blister in his hand.
Under every stone lurks a politician.
High thoughts must have high language. (Meaning)
There is no beast, no rush of fire, like woman so untamed. She calmly goes her way where even panthers would be shamed.
First listen, my friend, and then you may shriek and bluster.
The wise learn many things from their enemies.
The gods, my dear simple fellow, are a mere expression coined by vulgar superstition. We frown upon such coinage here.
You vote yourselves salaries out of the public funds and care only for your own personal interests; hence the state limps along.
No man is really honest; none of us is above the influence of gain.
Prayers without wine are perfectly pointless.
Open your mind before your mouth
To plunder, to lie, to show your arse, are three essentials for climbing high.
These impossible women! How they do get around us! The poet was right: can't live with them, or without them!
An insult directed at the wicked is not to be censured; on the contrary, the honest man, if he has sense, can only applaud.
Let each man exercise the art he knows.
Today things are better than yesterday.
One bush, they say, can never hide two thieves.
Thou shouldst not decide until thou hast heard what both have to say.
Your lost friends are not dead, but gone before, advanced a stage or two upon that road which you must travel in the steps they trod.
Full of wiles, full of guile, at all times, in all ways, are the children of Men.
Comedy is allied to justice.
Words give wings to the mind and make a man soar to heaven.
Wealth--the most excellent of all gods.
If a man owes me money, I never seem to forget. But if I do the owing, I somehow never remember.
Poverty, the most fearful monster that ever drew breath.
A man should be able to stand up under any disaster for his country's good.
Children have a master to teach them, grown-ups have the poets.
A demagogue must be neither an educated nor an honest man; he has to be an ignoramus and a rogue.
You cannot make a crab walk straight.
Evil events from evil causes spring, And what you suffer flows from what you've done.
― Aristophanes Quotes
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
