Menander Quotes

It is not white hair that engenders wisdom.

If you want to live your whole life free from pain you must become either a god or else a corpse. Consider other men's troubles and that will comfort you.

Never ask the Gods for life set free from grief, but ask for courage that endureth long.

The school of hard knocks is an accelerated curriculum.

Conscience is a God to all mortals.

He who labors diligently need never despair.

Everything is destroyed by its own particular vice: the destructive power resides within. Rust destroys iron, moths destroy clothes, the worm eats away the wood; but greatest of all evils is envy, impious habitant of corrupt souls, which ever was, is, and shall be a consuming disease.

It is not hoary hairs that bring wisdom; some have an old head on young shoulders.

Marriage, if one will face the truth, is an evil, but a necessary evil.

Man must be prepared for every event of life, for there is nothing that is durable.

To live is not to live for one's self; let us help one another.

I call a fig a fig, a spade a spade.

At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool.

In many things it is not well to say, "Know thyself"; it is better to say, "Know others."

There is but one genuine love potion - consideration.

It must be that evil communications corrupt good dispositions.

The good man makes others good.

Rest assured, for every piece of business the most businesslike thing is to choose the right moment.

Nothing is more useful than silence.

No just person ever became quickly rich.

Art is man's refuge from adversity.

By associating with wise people you will become wise yourself.

We live, not as we wish to, but as we can.

No man alive can say, This shall not happen to me.

Sleep is a healing balm for every ill.

Chance is a kind of god, for it preserves many things which we do not observe.

The truth sometimes not sought for comes forth to the light.

Hope saves a person in the midst of misfortunes.

Being mortal, never pray for an untroubled life. Rather, ask the God to give you an enduring heart.

Of all wild beasts on earth or in sea, the greatest is a woman.

Let bravery be thy choice, but not bravado.

Whom the gods love dies young.

There are many wild beasts on land and in the sea, but the beastliest of all is woman.

A man that runs away may fight again.

All men have one refuge, a good friend, with whom you can weep and know that he does not smile.

Know thyself means this, that you get acquainted with what you know, and what you can do.

The character of a man is known from his conversations.

The workman still is greater than his work.

Why should he who is scared be careful?

How sweet is life, can we but choose with whom to live it: to live for oneself is no life.

He who labors diligently need never despair for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor.

It is as easy to draw back a stone thrown with force from the hand, as to recall a word once spoken.

The chief beginning of evil is goodness in excess.

Of all the wild beasts of land or sea, the wildest is woman.

Do not fight against Providence; nor bring more heavy weather to the storm. Face what is already there.

Nothing has happened to you unless you make much of it.

Silence is often advantageous.

There is no such cozy combination as man and wife.