“It is better wither to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence.”

—  Pythagoras

As quoted in A Dictionary of Thoughts: Being a Cyclopedia of Laconic Quotations from the Best Authors of the World, both Ancient and Modern (1908) by Tyron Edwards, p. 525
Context: It is better wither to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence. Sooner throw a pearl at hazard than an idle or useless word; and do not say a little in many words, but a great deal in a few.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update April 3, 2022. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "It is better wither to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence." by Pythagoras?
Pythagoras photo
Pythagoras 121
ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher -585–-495 BC

Related quotes

“Either be silent or say something better than silence.”

Publilio Siro Latin writer

Maxim 960
Sentences, The Moral Sayings of Publius Syrus, a Roman Slave

“Pythagoras said, that it was requisite either to be silent, or to say something better than silence.”

Stobaeus Ancient Greek anthologist

36
Pythagorean Ethical Sentences

Confucius photo

“If what one has to say is not better than silence, then one should keep silent.”

Confucius (-551–-479 BC) Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher
Dionysius I of Syracuse photo

“Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.”

Dionysius I of Syracuse (-430–-367 BC) Sicilian tyrant

Frag. 6, as quoted in Handy-book of Literary Curiosities (1892) by William Shepard Walsh, p. 1009.

Pythagoras photo

“Be silent or let thy words be worth more than silence.”

Pythagoras (-585–-495 BC) ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher
Susanna Clarke photo
Wendell Berry photo
Pythagoras photo

“Silence is better than unmeaning words.”

Pythagoras (-585–-495 BC) ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher

As quoted in Encyclopaedia Americana (1832) Vol. X, p. 445 edited by Francis Lieber, E. Wigglesworth, and Thomas Gamaliel Bradford

James Baldwin photo

Related topics