Aristophanes Quotes

I would treat her like an egg, the shell of which we remove before eating it; I would take off her mask and then kiss her pretty face.
ARISTOPHANES

Egg Food Kissing
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

Honesty Insult Men Praise
Love is merely the name for the desire and pursuit of the whole.
ARISTOPHANES

Desire Love Names Philosophy Pursuit
There’s no art where there’s no fee.
ARISTOPHANES

Art Fee Money
How can I study from below, that which is above?
ARISTOPHANES

Deep Philosophy Study
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

Blessing Death Honesty Mad Misery World
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

Born Feminism Men Myself Nation Voice
Why, I’d like nothing better than to achieve some bold adventure, worthy of our trip.
ARISTOPHANES

Achievement Adventure Journey Travel
You cannot teach a crab to walk straight.
ARISTOPHANES

Animal Teaching Walk Yourself
First listen, my friend, and then you may shriek and bluster.
ARISTOPHANES

Friendship Listening
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

Age Father Happiness Men
A man should be able to stand up under any disaster for his country’s good.
ARISTOPHANES

Able Country Goodness Men
A demagogue must be neither an educated nor an honest man; he has to be an ignoramus and a rogue.
ARISTOPHANES

Education Honest Men
Times change. The vices of your age are stylish today.
ARISTOPHANES

Age Change Time Today Vices
Woman is adept at getting money for herself and will not easily let herself be deceived; she understands deceit too well herself.
ARISTOPHANES

Deceit Deceived Money
To plunder, to lie, to show your arse, are three essentials for climbing high.
ARISTOPHANES

Climbing Lie Necessary Success
Children have a master to teach them, grown-ups have the poets.
ARISTOPHANES

Children Learning Poet
Do not take a blind guide.
ARISTOPHANES

Blind Guide
Open your mind before your mouth.
ARISTOPHANES

Mind Mouths Yourself
You possess all the attributes of a demagogue; a screeching, horrible voice, a perverse, crossgrained nature and the language of the market-place. In you all is united which is needful for governing.
ARISTOPHANES

Character Government Language Nature Need Voice
A slave is but half a man.
ARISTOPHANES

Half Man Slavery
What unlooked-for things do happen, to be sure, in a long life!
ARISTOPHANES

Life Long
An ancient tradition declares that every idiot blunder we pass into law will sooner or later redound to Athens’ profit.
ARISTOPHANES

Idiot Law
High thoughts must have high language.
ARISTOPHANES

Language Thinking
Evil events from evil causes spring, And what you suffer flows from what you’ve done.
ARISTOPHANES

Evil Spring Suffering Yourself
Wise people, even though all laws were abolished, would still lead the same life.
ARISTOPHANES

Leadership Life People Wisdom Wise
The love of wine is a good man’s failing.
ARISTOPHANES

Failure Ideas Love Men Wine

Famous Playwrights