Silence is an ornament for women.
SophoclesRead
One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True friendship is founded on the ability to both give and receive kindness.
This quote by Sophocles emphasizes that the essence of friendship lies not in material possessions but in the mutual capacity for kindness. A friend who can exhibit compassion and accept kindness in return creates a deeper bond than any material wealth could provide.
Themes
FriendshipKindnessRelationshipsCompassionConnection
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about the importance of relationships, one might quote this to highlight the value of kindness in friendship.
More from Sophocles
All quotes βNone love the messenger who brings bad news.
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All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.
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Not even Ares battles against necessity.
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You clearly hate to yield, but you will regret it when your anger has passed. Such natures are justly the hardest for themselves to bear.
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There is nothing more hateful than bad advice.
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