For of those [cities] that were great in earlier times, most of them have now become small, while those which were great in my time were small formerly.
The trials of living and the pangs of disease make even the short span of life too long.
Haste in every business brings failures.
Good masters generally have bad slaves, and bad slaves have good masters.
The most hateful human misfortune is for a wise man to have no influence.
Tell Greece that her spring has been taken out of her year.