Zenon z Kition cytaty

„Ten, kto więcej grzeszy, i ten, kto mniej grzeszy, są równie dalecy od dobrego postępowania.”

Źródło: Leksykon złotych myśli, wyboru dokonał K. Nowak, Warszawa 1998.

„Żyć w zgodzie z naturą.”

„Celem człowieka jest rozważny wybór rzeczy, które są zgodne z naturą.”

„Chętnego Losy prowadzą, niechętnego wloką.”

„Mędrzec nie będzie twierdzić tego, co mu się tylko wydaje, i dzięki temu nigdy nie przytaknie fałszowi.”

„Na tym właśnie polega dzielność szczęśliwego i pogodnego życia, że wszystko się czyni zgodnie z własnym głosem wewnętrznym i z wolą rządcy Wszechświata.”

„Czyż ból i życie nie są sobie pokrewne?”

“Happiness is a good flow of life.”

Źródło: Leksykon złotych myśli, wyboru dokonał Krzysztof Nowak, Warszawa 1998.

Zenon z Kition: Cytaty po angielsku

“If melodiously piping flutes sprang from the olive, would you doubt that a knowledge of flute-playing resided in the olive? And what if plane trees bore harps which gave forth rhythmical sounds? Clearly you would think in the same way that the art of music was possessed by plane trees. Why, then, seeing that the universe gives birth to beings that are animate and wise, should it not be considered animate and wise itself?”

As quoted by Stobaeus, ii. 77.

“Love is a God, who cooperates in securing the safety of the city.”

As quoted in De Natura Deorum by Cicero, ii. 8.

“We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say.”

As quoted in Deipnosophists by Athenaeus, xiii. 561c.

“The end may be defined as life in accordance with nature or, in other words, in accordance with our own human nature as well as that of the universe.”

As quoted in Diogenes Laërtius Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, vii. 23.
Variant translation: The reason why we have two ears and only one mouth is that we may listen the more and talk the less.

“That which exercises reason is more excellent than that which does not exercise reason; there is nothing more excellent than the universe, therefore the universe exercises reason.”

As quoted by Diogenes Laërtius, in Lives of Eminent Philosophers: 'Zeno', 7.87.
The "end" here means “the goal of life.”

“A bad feeling is a commotion of the mind repugnant to reason, and against nature.”

As quoted in De Natura Deorum by Cicero, ii. 8.; iii. 9.

“All the good are friends of one another.”

As quoted in Tusculanae Quaestiones by Cicero, iv. 6.

“No evil is honorable; but death is honorable; therefore death is not evil.”

As quoted in Stromata, v. 14. by Clement of Alexandria