BEYOND TURKEY Balkans & Eastern Europe PHILOSOPHY & WISDOM

Wisdom Proverbs A.B.C by Greek Philosophers

By Levent Ağaoğlu

16/09/2021

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ADVICE

It is easy for those who are not in trouble to teach wisdom to the troubled. Aeschylus, Prometheus Desmotes

Advise the right things, not the sweetest things. Solon, (Diogenes Laertios, Bioi kai Gnomai Ton kudokimon Philosophon

Do not protect yourself, give advice to others, is this stupidity? Phaedros, I

Some people… when asked for advice, they say the opposite of their feelings, not saying what they think, but trying to figure out what kind of response the seeker likes. Plato, Laches

ANGER

Don’t you understand, Prometheus, there are words that are good for anger, provided you know when the heart will soften. You can’t go against a boiling anger. Aeschylus, Prometheus Desmotes

Hold your anger, because anger has no logic. Menandros, Gnomai Monostikhoi

The truly righteous should not be enraged. Euripides, Bakkhai

Don’t turn your back on facts in anger. Euripides, Iphigeneia he en Aulidi

APPEARANCE

It is meaningless for us to love or hate someone by their outward appearance; We should judge him by his deeds. Lysias, Hyper Mantitheou

The beauty of the body would be like the beauty of an animal, if it were not for the mind. Democritus, Trailer

ART

There is no sweeter consolation than art in the sad moments of human life. Because people who focus their attention on art can overcome disasters without realizing it. Amphidos, (Anthologia Stobaiou)

Art is a shelter for people in their sad moments. Menandros, Gnomai Monostikhoi

BEAUTY

Hair makes the beautiful look more attractive and the ugly look more scary. Plutarch, BioiParalleloi (Lysandros-Sulla)

To claim that there is no difference between beauty and ugliness is to be ungrateful and immature… This is the opinion of those who do not know the nature of things and think that if they hear this otherness, they will be dragged and destroyed. It is impossible to get rid of beauty by ignoring it. You have to know it and rely on it. Epictetus

BEGINNINGS

Getting started is half the job… and we all praise a good start. Plato, Nomoi

The beginning and the end are in the same place on a circle. Heraclitus

Those who are thrown into a job without thinking about it not only do not succeed in that job, but they also make everyone laugh at themselves. Aisopoe

BEHAVIOURS

Don’t treat me as softly as I want. Aeschylus, Prometheus Desmotes

Don’t do to others what you get angry when others do to you. Isocrates, Pros Nicoclea

Fair people are tolerant. Plato, Gorgias

There are some people who take pride in themselves, they try to beat people who are much stronger than themselves, and when they see them move, they turn around. Aisopoe

It is customary, a person who is despised does the same in return. Phaedrus

We don’t see our faults, but even if others see us committing crimes, we suddenly become moral teachers. Phaedrus

One should forgive anyone who commits a crime by chance. But I think the one who intentionally harms should be punished with all kinds of punishment. Phaedrus

Instead of looking at the stronger one and beating yourself, it is better to look at the weaker one and be consoled. Aisopoe

For those who cross the limit once, there is no limit anymore. Epictetus

Only a fool laughs when there is nothing to laugh at. Menandros, Gnomai Monostikhoi

Have you ever wanted to emulate the strong and the great… your efforts will be wasted and you will make everyone laugh at yourself. Aisopoe

The envious person is his own enemy; because he is constantly under the influence of his own sorrows. Menandros, Trailer

There are many people, if they could not succeed in their work because of incompetence, they immediately try to denigrate it. Aisopoe

Mind your own business and don’t worry about what others are doing. Menandros, Gnomai Monostikhoi

Invite the one who loves you to your table, not the one who doesn’t love you. Let your neighbors be the ones you invite… If something happens to you, your neighbors will immediately come to your aid. Hesiod, Erga kai Hemerai

Dude why are you walking like you swallowed a cane? -I act like this in order to be envied by all those I meet on the street and to hear the words from right to left: “Here is a great philosopher”.- Who do you want them to envy? Aren’t they the people you call crazy? You want crazy people to envy you? Oh big madman! Epictetus

BRAVERY

Many brave acts are born out of necessity. Who wrote a tragedy » trailer

God also helps the courage shown in the right place and time. Menandros, (Anthologia Stobaiou)

CHANCE

And bad luck eventually gets tired; The speed of the blowing wind is not always that way. Lucky people don’t stay lucky until the end. Everything in this world is destined to change, to be reborn. Euripides, Heracles

For a man who once had a lot of luck, it is painful to be unlucky; A person who has seen nothing but disaster since the day he was born, on the other hand, does not suffer so much from his bad luck. Euripides, Heracles

No person is lucky in everything. Aristophanes

So it is; You try, you try, you can’t achieve anything, and then you see that destiny comes to you. Aisopoe

COVETOUSNESS

The man who is not sad for what he does not have, but rejoices for what he has, is not greedy. Democritus, [Anthologia Stobaiou]

Those who do not like their own homeland but go to other provinces (countries) are not liked there because they are foreigners, and they will not accept them again because they despise their own citizens. Aisopoe

It is nice not to need any of the unnecessary things and not to be deprived of anything that is necessary. Plutarch, Moralia

Want to win, but always with god. Sophocles, Aias

He who covets someone else’s property deserves to lose his property. Phaedrus

The poor perish when I try to be like the rich. Phaedrus

Let’s all be happy and contented… let’s live the years written on our foreheads. Let us not try to obtain more than fate has given the mortal. Phaedros, Appendix Perottina

Greed is an immoral and unfair behavior. Plato, Gorgias

If you entrust a property to a greedy person, is there any good left from that property? Aisopoe

A child; He puts his hand into a narrow-mouthed container containing hazelnuts and figs, fills his palm as much as he can, and when it swells so much, he cannot get his hand out and begins to cry. Baby let go of half of it You can put your hand out again quite full… That’s the kid you are! You want so much and can’t get it all. Ask less, then you get what you want. Epictetus

COMMON SENSE

Common sense is always the greatest virtue. Menandros, Gnomai Monostikhoi

When thinking, imitate the past for the future. Isocrates, Pros Demonicon

The beginning and foundation of common sense is self-control over eating and drinking. Mousonios, (Anthologia Stobaiou)

CRITICISM

It is necessary to believe the likes of Theopompus rather than his vilifications; because he likes to vilify rather than to like. Plutarch, Bioi Paralleloi (Lysandros-Sulla)