Wise Words From 6 Ancient Greek Philosophers

 

Each time we turn on our computers, we are bombarded with quotes, images and  “inspirational cards”.

 We have “Life coaches” telling us to be” Mindful” and to have a “Mindset”.

 “Mindfulness” It seems to be the “New religion”

 Authors are at it, gurus are at it, it seems like every Tom, Dick and Harry is at it!

 Sorry to tell you this folks but it’s all been said and done before, thousands of years ago, by the Greeks, specifically, the Greek philosophers.

 Philosophy: The love of wisdom

 So search no further, just read what those these great Greeks had to say.

 They knew what was what!

 

1. Demosthenes

 

Demosthenes, 384 – 322 BC, a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens, started out as a professional speechwriter (logographer) and lawyer, writing speeches for use in private legal suits, he gave his first public speech at the age of twenty.

During his time as a speechwriter, Demosthenes became interested in politics and spent the rest of his years, opposing Philip II of Macedon and trying to restore Athens’ supremacy.

After the death of Philip II, Demosthenes was a major player in his city’s uprising against the new king of Macedonia, Alexander the Great.

The revolt failed and to avoid arrest, he took his own life.

 

 

“Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.”

Demosthenes

What we hear today as: “Small steps”, or, ‘start small and grow”.

 

2. Aristotle

 

Aristotle, 384–322 BC, a Greek philosopher, taught by Plato, wrote about a myriad of subjects, including physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theatre, music, rhetoric, psychology, linguistics, economics, politics, meteorology, geology, and government.

He has been labeled the father of logic, biology, political science, zoology, embryology, natural law, scientific method, rhetoric, psychology, realism, criticism, individualism, teleology and meteorology and his influence on logic continued well into the 19th century.

 

 

“Happiness depends upon ourselves.”

Aristotle

All those inspirational cards we see, telling us that:

 “Only you have the ability to make yourself happy, don’t depend on others”

 

“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour.”

Aristotle

Could be interpreted today as:  “Step outside your comfort zone”

 

“Doubt is the beginning of wisdom”

Aristotle

Question everything

 

3. Plutarch

 

Plutarch, c. AD 46 – after AD 119), a Greek Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist and priest at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi , at some point, became a Roman citizen and his name changed to Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus.

He lived most of his life at Chaeronea, near Delphi, where he was initiated into the mysteries of the Greek god Apollo and most likely took part in the Eleusinian Mysteries.

 He is known for his “Parallel Lives”, a series of biographies of illustrious Greeks and Romans, and “Moralia”, a collection of essays and speeches.

 

 

 

“To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.”

Plutarch

The old adage:  “We learn from our mistakes”

 

4. Socrates

 

Socrates c. 470–399 BC, a Greek philosopher from Athens, acclaimed founder of Western philosophy and one of the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought, was a perplexing individual, who never wrote anything down.

 What we do know about Socrates and his thoughts and ideas, comes mainly from the accounts of the philosopher Plato and the historian Xenophon, who were both his pupils.

In 399 BC, Socrates went on trial for corrupting the youth of Athens, he unsuccessfully defended himself and was found guilty.

The official charges were: (1) corrupting youth; (2) worshipping false gods; and (3) not worshipping the state religion.

Socrates was given the death penalty and was made to drink a cup of hemlock (a poisonous liquid).

Socrates’s reaction, was to warn the Athenians, that they could not avoid criticism from his many followers, unless they became good men.

Socrates spent his last day in prison where his friends visited him and offered to help him escape, he declined.

 

 

“One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.”

Socrates

Could be “We must never stop learning”

 

“Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty”

Socrates

Today: “The best things in life are free” or, ‘Money doesn’t buy happiness”.

 

Do not merely take something at face value, or do something because someone says so, whether it is one person or a hundred.”

Socrates

 “Never assume” (My favourite!)

 

5. Epicurus

 

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus (341–270 BC), born on the Greek island of Samos, was the ancient Greek philosopher who founded Epicureanism and rejected the Platonism of his day and went on to create his own school, known as “the Garden”, in Athens, where, against the general policy of the day, he openly allowed women and slaves to join the school.

Epicurus’s aim in life was to convince people that the purpose of philosophy was to help people achieve a happy, eudaimonic, tranquil life characterized by ataraxia (peace and freedom from fear) and aponia (the absence of pain).

 He recommended a simple, self-sufficient life surrounded by friends.

 Epicurean teachings were controversial from the word go, throughout the Middle Ages Epicurus was remembered as a patron of drunkards, whoremongers, and gluttons.

His influence took a major leap, after the Enlightenment, deeply affecting the ideas of major thinkers, including John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, Jeremy Bentham, and Karl Marx.

 

 

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for”

Epicurus

Be grateful for what you have.

 

“Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little”

 Epicurus

Never satisfied

 

6. Plato

 

Plato 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC, was a Greek philosopher born in Athens, who founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in Europe.

Plato, together with his teacher, Socrates and his student, Aristotle, play a major part in the history of Ancient Greek philosophy, from which the Western and Middle Eastern philosophies evolved.

In his work, “The Republic”, Plato examines the organization of various types of states, beginning with the organization of the human soul, a clear link between the health of the individual and that of society.

 Above all, he emphasizes the importance of going deeper within oneself in search of eternal truth.

 

 

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”

Plato

As we all know: “Just do it”!

 

“The greatest wealth is to live content with little”

Plato

Less is more

 

These are just a few of thousands of quotes, from the works, books and poetry, of Greek Philosophers, wise men indeed.

 They all seem to have a common idea: keep things simple.

 So, live the simple life, live like a Greek!