Democritus

"δοκεῖ δὲ αὐτῶι τάδε· ἀρχὰς εἶναι τῶν ὅλων ἀτόμους καὶ κενόν, τὰ δ'ἀλλα πάντα νενομίσθαι [δοξάζεσθαι]. (Diogenes Laërtius, Democritus, Vol. IX, 44)"

"νόμωι (γάρ φησι) γλυκὺ καὶ νόμωι πικρόν, νόμωι θερμόν, νόμωι ψυχρόν, νόμωι χροιή, ἐτεῆι δὲ ἄτομα καὶ κενόν (Tetralogies of Thrasyllus, 9; Sext. Emp. adv. math. VII 135)"

"We know nothing accurately in reality, but [only] as it changes according to the bodily condition, and the constitution of those things that flow upon [the body] and impinge upon it."

"Medicine heals diseases of the body, wisdom frees the soul from passions."

"Coition is a slight attack of apoplexy. For man gushes forth from man, and is separated by being torn apart with a kind of blow."

"Man is a universe in little [Microcosm]."

"Good breeding in cattle depends on physical health, but in men on a well-formed character."

"Πολλοὶ πολυμαθέες νοῦν οὐκ ἔχουσιν."

"Immoderate desire is the mark of a child, not a man."

"[I would] rather discover one cause than gain the kingdom of Persia."

"Men have fashioned an image of Chance as an excuse for their own stupidity. For Chance rarely conflicts with intelligence, and most things in life can be set in order by an intelligent sharpsightedness."

"In a shared fish, there are no bones."

"Education is an ornament for the prosperous, a refuge for the unfortunate."

"Beautiful objects are wrought by study through effort, but ugly things are reaped automatically without toil."

"The animal needing something knows how much it needs, the man does not."

"Moderation multiplies pleasures, and increases pleasure."

"The brave man is not only he who overcomes the enemy, but he who is stronger than pleasures. Some men are masters of cities, but are enslaved to women."

"It is hard to fight desire; but to control it is the sign of a reasonable man."

"The laws would not prevent each man from living according to his inclination, unless individuals harmed each other; for envy creates the beginning of strife."

"To a wise man, the whole earth is open; for the native land of a good soul is the whole earth."

"The man who is fortunate in his choice of son-in-law gains a son; the man unfortunate in his choice loses his daughter also."

"If your desires are not great, a little will seem much to you; for small appetite makes poverty equivalent to wealth."

"Disease of the home and of the life comes about in the same way as that of the body."

"No power and no treasure can outweigh the extension of our knowledge."

"Strength and beauty are the blessings of youth; temperance, however, is the flower of old age."

"Man should know from this rule that he is cut off from truth."

"This argument too shows that in truth we know nothing about anything, but every man shares the generally prevailing opinion."

"And yet it will be obvious that it is difficult to really know of what sort each thing is."

"Now, that we do not really know of what sort each thing is, or is not, has often been shown."

"Verily we know nothing. Truth is buried deep. (Another translation: "Of truth we know nothing, for truth is in a well." Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers R.D. Hicks, Ed.)"

"In fact we do not know anything infallibly, but only that which changes according to the condition of our body and of the [influences] that reach and impinge upon it."

"There are two forms of knowledge, one genuine, one obscure. To the obscure belong all of the following: sight, hearing, smell, taste, feeling. The other form is the genuine, and is quite distinct from this. [And then distinguishing the genuine from the obscure, he continues:] Whenever the obscure [way of knowing] has reached the minimum sensibile of hearing, smell, taste, and touch, and when the investigation must be carried farther into that which is still finer, then arises the genuine way of knowing, which has a finer organ of thought."

"[Democritus says:] By convention sweet is sweet, by convention bitter is bitter, by convention hot is hot, by convention cold is cold, by convention color is color. But in reality there are atoms and the void. That is, the objects of sense are supposed to be real and it is customary to regard them as such, but in truth they are not. Only the atoms and the void are real."

"Of practical wisdom these are the three fruits: to deliberate well, to speak to the point, to do what is right."

"He who intends to enjoy life should not be busy about many things, and in what he does should not undertake what exceeds his natural capacity. On the contrary, he should have himself so in hand that even when fortune comes his way, and is apparently ready to lead him on to higher things, he should put her aside and not o'erreach his powers. For a being of moderate size is safer than one that bulks too big."

"If any one hearken with understanding to these sayings of mine many a deed worthy of a good man shall he perform and many a foolish deed be spared."

"If one choose the goods of the soul, he chooses the diviner [portion]; if the goods of the body, the merely mortal."

"'Tis well to restrain the wicked, and in any case not to join him in his wrong-doing."

"'Tis not in strength of body nor in gold that men find happiness, but in uprightness and in fulness of understanding."

"Not from fear but from a sense of duty refrain from your sins."

"Repentance for one's evil deeds is the safeguard of life."

"He who does wrong is more unhappy than he who suffers wrong."

"'Tis a grievous thing to be subject to an inferior."

"Many who have not learned wisdom live wisely, and many who do the basest deeds can make most learned speeches."

"Fools learn wisdom through misfortune."

"One should emulate works and deeds of virtue, not arguments about it."

"Strength of body is nobility in beasts of burden, strength of character is nobility in men."

"The hopes of the right-minded may be realized, those of fools are impossible."

"Neither art nor wisdom may be attained without learning."

"It is better to correct your own faults than those of another."