QuoteProject
Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts of the gods: men stumble into them themselves because of their own blindness and folly.
Democritus
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote suggests that while gods provide good, harmful things come from human ignorance and folly.

Democritus emphasizes that the divine offers mankind all that is beneficial, but the negative experiences and misfortunes arise from human choices and mistakes rather than divine will. This implies a philosophical stance that emphasizes personal responsibility and the consequences of our actions.

Themes

GodsGoodBadFollyBlindnessHuman Nature

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about personal responsibility, one might quote this to illustrate how our choices lead to our own suffering.

More from Democritus

Virtue isn't not wronging others but not wishing to wrong others.
DemocritusRead
Beautiful objects are wrought by study through effort, but ugly things are reaped automatically without toil.
DemocritusRead
One should practice much sense, not much learning.
DemocritusRead
Nature and education are somewhat similar. The latter transforms man, and in so doing creates a second nature.
DemocritusRead
It is godlike ever to think on something beautiful and on something new.
DemocritusRead
If thou suffer injustice, console thyself; the true unhappiness is in doing it.
DemocritusRead

Similar quotes

Until you can see everything in the world as your friend, your work is not done.
Byron KatieRead
To live means to experience-through doing, feeling, thinking. Experience takes place in time, so time is the ultimate scarce resource we have. Over the years, the content of experience will determine the quality of life. Therefore one of the most essential decisions any of us can make is about how one's time is allocated or invested.
Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiRead
It is being common-born that is dangerous, when the great lords play their game of thrones.
George R. R. MartinRead
Female heterosexuality is not a biological drive or an individual women's erotic attraction or attachment to another human animal which happens to be male. Female heterosexuality is a set of social institutions and practices... Those definitions... are about the oppression and exploitation of women by men.
Marilyn FryeRead
The predominance of mind is no more than a stage in the evolution of consciousness. We need to go on to the next stage now as a matter of urgency; otherwise, we will be destroyed by the mind, which has grown into a monster.
Eckhart TolleRead
A heretic is a man who sees with his own eyes
Gotthold Ephraim LessingRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.