Lao Tzu

Lao Tzu (6th-5th Century BCE Chinese philosopher and theologian)

"Exhibit the unadorned and embrace the uncarved block,
Have little thought of self an as few desires as
     possible."

• From Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (Book One, XIX), translated by D. C. Lau (Penguin Classics, 1963).

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Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790 CE)

"What you would seem to be, be really."

• From Poor Richard's Almanac by Benjamin Franklin (Seven Treasures Publications, 2008).

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Herodotus

Herodotus (490-425/420 BCE)

"I propose that we do away with the monarchy, and raise the people to power; for the stat and the people are synonymous terms."

• From The Histories by Herodotus (Book III), translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt and revised by John Marincola. New York: Penguin Classics, 2002).

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Apollonius of Rhodes

Apollonius of Rhodes (3rd century BCE)

"There are a thousand heartening words
a man can say to urge a comrade on,
but you have blurted out offensive ones."

• From Apollonius of Rhodes' epic poem, Argonautica (Book I), based on the myth of Jason and the Argonauts. The translation is by Aaron Poochigian (Penguin Classics, 2014).

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Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645 CE)

"If you are following the true way and diverge a little, this will later become a large divergence. You must realise this."

• From Miyamoto Musashi's The Book of Five Rings, (Lord Majesty Productions, 2005 edition).

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Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400 CE)

"Alas, why is it people so dispraise
God's providence or Fortune and her ways,
That oft and variously in their scheme
Includes far better things than they could dream?"

• From The Canterbury Tales (The Knight's Tale) by Geoffrey Chaucer, translated by Nevill Coghill. New York: Penguin Classics, 1951.

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Plato

Plato (427-347 BCE)

"Above all, I'd like you to be consistent; or if you do change your mind, I'd like you to do so openly, without trying to decisive us."

• From Plato's Republic, translated by Robin Waterfield, 1994.

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Chuang Tzu

Chuang Tzu (369-286 BCE)

"Heaven and earth are one attribute; the ten thousand things are one horse."

• From Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings (section 2), translated by Burton Watson. (Columbia University Press, 1996).

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Heraclitus

 

Heraclitus (6th and 5th Century BCE)

"War is father of all, and king of all..."

• From the Fragments of Heraclitus, translated by Diels-Kranz.

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Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE)

"Experience is the best master in every thing on which the wit of man is employed."

• From Julius Caesar's  War Commentaries (The Civil War), translated by W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, 2014.

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Mencius

Mencius (Chinese Philosopher, around 372-289 BCE)

"To accept a gift without justification is tantamount to being bought. Surely a gentleman should never allow himself to be bought."

• From The Mencius by Mencius, translated by D. C. Lau (Penguin Classics, 2003)

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Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Frankin (1706-1790 CE)

"If you would be loved, love and be lovable."

• From Poor Richard's Almanac by Benjamin Franklin (Seven Treasures Publications, 2008).

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Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius (Roman Emperor, 121-180 CE)

"And when all is done, what is all this for, but for a mere bag of blood and corruption?"

• From the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (Xist Publishing edition, 2015).

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The Prophecies of Merlin (from Geoffrey of Monmouth)

Geoffrey of Monmouth (12th Century Welsh/English Writer)

"The Ass will put on a crown and then clamber above all that is most lofty and terrify the people with its hideous braying."

• From Part Five (The Prophecies of Merlin) of Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain, completed in 1136 CE, translated from Latin into English by Lewis Thorpe (Penguin Classics, 1966).

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Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881 CE)

"At any rate, civilisation has made man, if not more bloodthirsty, then certainly more hideously and more contemptibly bloodthirsty."

• From Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by David Magarshack (Modern Library, 1992).

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Isaac Komnenos (Brother of Emperor Alexios Komnenos)

Isaac Komnenos
Isaac Komnenos was the brother of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 1081-1118 CE. Isaac was given the title of Sebastokrator and played a major role in his brother's military and government.

"I am forced to force those whom I do not wish to force."

• This quote was recorded in The Alexiad by Isaac Komnenos' neice, Anna Komnena (daughter of Emperor Alexios). This version was translated by E. R. A. Sewter and revised by Peter Frankopan (Penguin Classics, 2009).

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Saint Teresa of Avila

Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582 CE)

"In this life, then, the soul has a very bad time, for, however much it accomplishes, it is strong enough inwardly to attempt much more and this causes such strife within it that nothing it can do seems to it of any importance."

• From Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by E. Allison Peers (Dover Publications, 2007).

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Gottfried Leibniz

Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716 CE)

"To suppose two things indiscernible is to suppose the same thing under two names."

• From Leibniz's Letters To Clark, translated by G. H. R. Parkinson and Mary Morris (Everyman's Library, 1934). Image of Liebniz photographed by Ad Meskens and licensed under Creative Commons 3.0 (CC 3.0).

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Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645 CE)

"Victory is certain when the enemy is caught up in a rhythm which confuses his spirit."

• From The Book of Five Rings written by Miyamoto Musashi around 1643-1645, translated by Lord Majesty Productions, 2005.

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Cornutus

Cornutus (1st Century CE)

"Just as we ourselves are controlled by a soul, so the world possesses a soul holding it together, and this soul is designated God, primordially and ever living and the source of all life."

• From Cornutus' Theologiae Graecae Compendium (Compendium of Greek Theology), edition of C. Lang and Leip,1891, cited in S. Angus' The Mystery-Religions (Dover Publications, republished 1975).

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John Adams

John Adams (1735-1826 CE)

"It is marvellous how political Plants grow in the shade."

• From a letter John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail Adams, dated January 14, 1797. The comment was made in reference to retirement boosting the political popularity of revolutionaries, but the quote works well with politics, in general.

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Homer

Homer (8th and 7th Century BCE Greek poet)

"The same death awaits the man who does much, and the man
who does nothing."

• From The Iliad (Book 9) by Homer, translated by E. V. Rieu and revised by Peter Jones (Penguin Classics, 2014).

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