10 Ancient Greek Philosophers, 10 Quotations

Edith Hamilton, who wrote definitive histories of ancient Greek culture, said the Greeks believed that, "All things are to be examined and called into question. There are no limits set on thought."

With that in mind consider the following ten ancient Greek philosophers and a pertinent quote for each:

Homer: 8th century BC, best known for epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey -

A small rock holds back a great wave. ~ Homer

Sophocles: 496-406 BC, wrote 123 plays, only seven survived in tact such as Antigone, Oedipus the King -

No man loves life like him that's growing old. ~ Sophocles

Herodotus: 484-424 BC, father of history in western culture -

The destiny of man is in his own soul. ~ Herodotus

Euripides: 480-406 BC, wrote 95 tragedies, 18 survived including Medea

The good and the wise lead quiet lives. ~ Euripedes

Hippocrates: 460-370 BC, a physician and father of medicine, the Hippocratic oath is about doctoral ethics

Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease. ~ Hippocrates

Aristophanes: 446-386 BC, wrote comedies, 11 have survived

Let each man exercise the art he knows. ~ Aristophanes

Plato: 424-348 BC, student of Socrates, regarded as one of the fathers of western philosophy, wrote the Republic

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~ Plato

Aristotle: 384-322, student of Plato, tutor of Alexander the Great, large influence on St. Thomas Aquinus and Catholic education and theology

All virtue is summed up in dealing justly. ~ Aristotle

Euclid: (around 300 BC), mathematician and father of geometry

The laws of nature are but the mathematical thoughts of God. ~ Euclid

Archimedes: 287-212 BC, mathematician, engineer, inventor, physicist, astronomer

Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world. ~ Archimedes

Listverse has a great post providing a primer on the ten philosophers.

Which of the above quotations resonates for you?