And when it does, what a better way to seek timeless advice on the senses, society, and the soul from The Wisdom of the Ancient Greeks:
On Arrogance
“Whoever thinks that he alone has speech, or possesses speech or mind above others, when unfolded such men are seen to be empty†--- Sophocles, Antigone
On Compassion
“If we always helped one another, no one would need luck†--- Menander
On Deception
"I have learned to hate all traitors, and there is no disease that I spit on more than treachery†--- Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound
On Garrulity
“Misery is the end of those with unbridled mouths†--- Euripides, Bacchants
“Nature has given us one tongue and two ears so that we would listen twice as much as we speak†--- Zeno of Elea
"Always when you are about to say anything, first weigh it in your mind; for with many the tongue outruns the thought. Let there be but two occasions for speech --- when the subject is one which you thoroughly know and when it is one on which you are compelled to speak. On these occasions alone is speech better than silence; on all others, it is better to be silent than to speak†--- Isocrates, letter to Demonicus
On Self-knowledge
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom†--- Aristotle
“Getting to know yourself is extremely difficult†---Thales of Miletus, fragment
"Don’t attempt to heal others when you yourself are full of wounds†--- Euripides
“Generally, we’re all wise when advising others but we fail to see that we also errâ€Â. --- Socrates
“You will become a teacher of yourself when for the same things that you blame others, you also blame yourself†--- Diogene of Sinope, fragment
“Don’t try to cover your mistakes with false words. Rather, correct your mistakes with examination†---Phythagoras, fragment
On Self-Restraint
“I have often repented speaking, but never of holding my tongue†--- Xenocrates, fragment
“Self-control is the chief element in self-respect and self-respect is the chief element in courageâ€Â. --- Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesean War
On Slander
“Guard yourself against accusations, even if they are false; for the multitude are ignorant of the truth and look only to reputation†--- Isocrates, letter to Demonicus
“He who readily accepts slanders as truth has either an evil character or a child’s ability to judge†--- Menander, fragment
“Don’t you know that silence supports the accuser’s charge?†--- Sophocles, The Women of Trachis
On Truth and Lying
“Throughout your life choose truth and your words will be more believable than other people’s oathsâ€Â. --- Isocrates, letter to Nicocles
“Plato is dear to me, yet dearer is truth†--- Aristotle
“False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil†--- Socrates
On Virtue
“All of earth’s gold is not worth virtue†--- Plato
“The most unholy and savage animal is a human being without virtue†--- Aristotle, fragment
On Friendship
“What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.†--- Aristotle
“Regard as your most faithful friends, not those who praise everything you say or do, but those who criticize your mistakes†--- Isocrates, speech to Nicocles
Friendship exists only between good men, whereas the bad man never achieves true friendship with either a good or a bad man†--- Socrates, as quoted in Plato’s Lysis
On Gossip
“An evil tongue is sharper than the sharpest sword edge†--- Strabo, fragment
“A wound by a sword is easier to bear than a wound by gossip†--- Pythagoras, fragment
AND
On Revenge
“Bitter people are hard to reconcile, and keep up their anger for a long time, because they suppress their animosity. Relief comes only with retaliation; for revenge provides release from anger by substituting pleasure for pain. In default of this they still labor under the weight of resentment; because owing to its concealment nobody helps to persuade the sufferer out of it, and it takes him time to digest his anger internally. People of this kind cause a great deal of trouble to themselves and their closest friends†--- Aristotle, Ethics
Ahhhh....brilliant Greeks!!! What would the world be without their thoughts and philosophy? Certainly help soothe the soul of the down and trodden....
