Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Diogenes Laertius (Greek Biographer)

Diogenes Laërtius (f.3rd century CE) was a biographer of the Greek philosophers. He is noted for his history of Greek philosophy, the most important surviving secondary source of knowledge.

Not much is definitively known of Laërtius’s life. His surviving titles, Peri bion dogmaton kai apophthegmaton ton en philosophia eudokimesanton (“Lives, Teachings, and Sayings of Famous Philosophers,”) are a principal source of the history of ancient Greek philosophy. The excerpts in Laërtius’s compilation range from trivial gossip to valuable biographical and bibliographical information, competent summaries of doctrines, and reproductions of essential documents such as wills or philosophical writings.

Though Laërtius quoted hundreds of authorities, he knew most of them only by second hand. He never critically evaluated his sources, and his authoritative sources have not been ascertained except in a few cases. Unlike other secondary sources, Laërtius generally reported philosophical teachings without attempting to reinterpret or expand on them.

Lives, Teachings, and Sayings consist of an introductory book and nine others presenting Greek philosophers from Thales to Epicurus. The book is divided into an Ionian and an Italic branch (Books II-VII; VIII) with “successions,” or schools, within each and with “stray” philosophers appended (Books IX-X.) In all extant manuscripts, the oldest of which belongs to the 12th century, Book VII is incomplete. Whole books are devoted to Plato (Books III) and Epicurus (Book X.)

The Cambridge classical scholar Robert Drew Hicks translated Lives of Eminent Philosophers (1925.)

More: Wikipedia READ: Works by Diogenes Laertius

As houses well stored with provisions are likely to be full of mice, so the bodies of those who eat much are full of diseases.
Diogenes Laertius

The market is a place set apart where men may deceive each other
Diogenes Laertius

Calumny is only the noise of madmen.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Insults

A blush is the color of virtue.
Diogenes Laertius

To arrive at perfection, a man should have very sincere friends or inveterate enemies; because he would be made sensible of his good or ill conduct, either by the censures of the one or the admonitions of the other.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Perfection

Most men are within a finger’s breadth of being mad.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Sanity

Blushing is the color of virtue.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Virtue, Humility

To reach perfection, we must be made sensible of our failings, either by the admonitions of friends, or the invectives of enemies.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Self-Knowledge

A tyrant never tasteth of true friendship, nor of perfect liberty.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Tyranny

Know thyself, was counted one of the oracles of the Greeks. It was inscribed as one of their three great precepts, in letters of gold, on the temple at Delphos, and regarded as divine.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Self-Knowledge

One original thought is worth a thousand mindless quotings.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Quotations

A man should live with his superiors as he does with his fire; not too near, lest he burn; not too far off, lest he freeze.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Associates, Life

Wise kings generally have wise counsellors; and he must be a wise man himself who is capable of distinguishing one.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Leadership, Leaders, Kings

In a rich man’s house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Riches, Wealth

No man is hurt but by himself.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Injury, Conflict

The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Children

Of what use is a philosopher who doesn’t hurt anybody’s feelings?
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Philosophers, Philosophy

Man is the most intelligent of the animals—and the most silly.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Animals

The art of being a slave is to rule one’s master.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Slavery

Why not whip the teacher when the pupil misbehaves?
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Punishment

There is nothing so good to make a horse fat, as the eye of his master.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Master

The vicious obey their passions as slaves do their masters.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Vice

Modesty is the color of virtue.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Modesty, Humility

Discourse on virtue and they pass by in droves. Whistle and dance the shimmy, and you’ve got an audience.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Praise, Audiences

We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.
Diogenes Laertius
Topics: Listening

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