An actor should refine public taste.
ARISTOPHANESFull of wiles, full of guile, at all times, in all ways, are the children of Men.
More Aristophanes Quotes
-
-
An ancient tradition declares that every idiot blunder we pass into law will sooner or later redound to Athens’ profit.
ARISTOPHANES -
The love of wine is a good man’s failing.
ARISTOPHANES -
How can I study from below, that which is above?
ARISTOPHANES -
You can’t have anything else to say: you’ve poured out every drop of what you know.
ARISTOPHANES -
A man should be able to stand up under any disaster for his country’s good.
ARISTOPHANES -
An insult directed at the wicked is not to be censured; on the contrary, the honest man, if he has sense, can only applaud.
ARISTOPHANES -
A fox is subtlety itself.
ARISTOPHANES -
Wealth–the most excellent of all gods.
ARISTOPHANES -
A slave is but half a man.
ARISTOPHANES -
Men of sense often learn from their enemies. It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls and ships of war.
ARISTOPHANES -
Do not bandy words with your father, nor treat him as a dotard, nor reproach the old man, who has cherished you, with his age.
ARISTOPHANES -
Open your mind before your mouth.
ARISTOPHANES -
Weak mortals, chained to the earth, creatures of clay as frail as the foliage of the woods, you unfortunate race, whose life is but darkness, as unreal as a shadow, the illusion of a dream.
ARISTOPHANES -
When men drink, then they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends. Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
ARISTOPHANES -
Does it seem that everything is extravagance in the world, or rather madness, when you watch the way things go? A crowd of rogues enjoy blessings they have won by sheer injustice, while more honest folks are miserable and die of hunger.
ARISTOPHANES -
Under every stone lurks a politician.
ARISTOPHANES -
Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.
ARISTOPHANES -
You vote yourselves salaries out of the public funds and care only for your own personal interests; hence the state limps along.
ARISTOPHANES -
Even if you persuade me, you won’t persuade me.
ARISTOPHANES -
This is what extremely grieves us, that a man who never fought Should contrive our fees to pilfer, on who for his native land Never to this day had oar, or lance, or blister in his hand.
ARISTOPHANES -
Comedy too can sometimes discern what is right. I shall not please, but I shall say what is true.
ARISTOPHANES -
First listen, my friend, and then you may shriek and bluster.
ARISTOPHANES -
It should not prejudice my voice that I’m not born a man, if I say something advantageous to the present situation. For I’m taxed too, and as a toll provide men for the nation.
ARISTOPHANES -
Your lost friends are not dead, but gone before, advanced a stage or two upon that road which you must travel in the steps they trod.
ARISTOPHANES -
Woman is adept at getting money for herself and will not easily let herself be deceived; she understands deceit too well herself.
ARISTOPHANES -
What unlooked-for things do happen, to be sure, in a long life!
ARISTOPHANES