Quotes on Ancient Greek

A couple years ago, the novelist Russell Banks told me he was reading the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. I asked why. He said, 'Because I've always wanted to and am tired of having my reading assigned.' I thought it was a marvelous declaration of independence.

Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all.

My wife, my Mary, goes to her sleep the way you would close the door of a closet. So many times I have watched her with envy. Her lovely body squirms a moment as though she fitted herself into a cocoon. She sighs once and at the end of it her eyes close and her lips, untroubled, fall into that wise and remote smile of the Ancient Greek gods. She smiles all night in her sleep, her breath purrs in her throat, not a snore, a kitten's purr... She loves to sleep and sleep welcomes her.

Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.

We live in an era when established values are no longer valid, when prodigious discoveries are being made every year, when catastrophes of unbelievable proportions occur weekly. In ancient Greek the word “chaos” means “gaping void” or “yawning emptiness.” The most effective response to the chaos in our lives is the creation of new forms of literature, music, poetry, art and cinema.

We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.

Sometimes bad luck hits you like in an ancient Greek tragedy, and it's not your own making. When you have a plane crash, it's not your fault.

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.

Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others.

Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity.

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.

A friend to all is a friend to none.