Democritus: Quotes about men

“The brave man is not only he who overcomes the enemy, but he who is stronger than pleasures. Some men are masters of cities, but are enslaved to women.”

Democritus

Freeman (1948), p. 163
Variant: The brave man is he who overcomes not only his enemies but his pleasures. There are some men who are masters of cities but slaves to women.

Women , Men , Pleasure

“Men have fashioned an image of Chance as an excuse for their own stupidity. For Chance rarely conflicts with intelligence, and most things in life can be set in order by an intelligent sharpsightedness.”

Democritus

Freeman (1948), p. 155

Life , Men , Stupidity , Intelligence

“Good breeding in cattle depends on physical health, but in men on a well-formed character.”

Democritus

Freeman (1948), p. 151
Durant (1939), Ch. XVI, §II, p. 354; citing C. Bakewell, Sourcebook in Ancient Philosophy, New York, 1909, "Fragment 57"
Variant: Strength of body is nobility only in beasts of burden, strength of character is nobility in man.
Variant: In cattle excellence is displayed in strength of body; but in men it lies in strength of character.

Men , Health , Dependency

“Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts of the gods: men stumble into them themselves because of their own blindness and folly.”

Democritus

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

Men , God

“False men and shams talk big and do nothing.”

Democritus

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

Men , Falseness

“Men achieve tranquillity through moderation in pleasure and through the symmetry of life. Want and superfluity are apt to upset them and to cause great perturbations in the soul. The souls that are rent by violent conflicts are neither stable nor tranquil. One should therefore set his mind upon the things that are within his power, and be content with his opportunities, nor let his memory dwell very long on the envied and admired of men, nor idly sit and dream of them. Rather, he should contemplate the lives of those who suffer hardship, and vividly bring to mind their sufferings, so that your own present situation may appear to you important and to be envied, and so that it may no longer be your portion to suffer torture in your soul by your longing for more. For he who admires those who have, and whom other men deem blest of fortune, and who spends all his time idly dreaming of them, will be forced to be always contriving some new device because of his [insatiable] desire, until he ends by doing some desperate deed forbidden by the laws. And therefore one ought not to desire other men's blessings, and one ought not to envy those who have more, but rather, comparing his life with that of those who fare worse, and laying to heart their sufferings, deem himself blest of fortune in that he lives and fares so much better than they. Holding fast to this saying you will pass your life in greater tranquillity and will avert not a few of the plagues of life—envy and jealousy and bitterness of mind.”

Democritus

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

Life , Men , Pleasure , Jealousy

“Strength of body is nobility in beasts of burden, strength of character is nobility in men.”

Democritus

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

Men

“Men in their prayers beg the gods for health, not knowing that this is a thing they have in their own power. Through their incontinence undermining it, they themselves become, because of their passions, the betrayers of their own health.”

Democritus

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

Men , God , Health , Passion

“Many much-learned men have no intelligence.”

Democritus

Freeman (1948), p. 152 [Democr. "Fragment B 64" http://remacle.org/bloodwolf/philosophes/democrite/diels.htm ("Demokrates 29" in Stobaeus, Anthologium III, 4, 81)]
Variant: There are many who know many things, yet are lacking in wisdom.

Men , Intelligence , Learning

“Tis not in strength of body nor in gold that men find happiness, but in uprightness and in fulness of understanding.”

Democritus

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

Men , Understanding , Happiness

“Men have made an idol of luck as an excuse for their own thoughtlessness. Luck seldom measures swords with wisdom. Most things in life quick wit and sharp vision can set right.”

Democritus

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

Life , Wisdom , Men