Category: Ancient Greek & Roman Supremo

Democritus – Father of Modern Science?!!!

 

Democritus by Luca Giordano

Democritus – Father of Modern Science?!!!

Democritus created a vast body of work, unfortunately only minimal amount survived.

Democritus is considered by many to be the Father of Modern Science’ because of his philosophical approach as being scientific rationality.  He was one of the founders of the Atomist philosophy.

He was also known as the Laughing Philosopher because of his emphasis on the merits of being cheerful.

(He sounds like a very interesting man)

Democritus Quotes:

Man is a microcosm of the universe.
– Democritus

The brave man is he who overcomes not only his enemies but his pleasures.
– Democritus (460 – 370 BC)

There are many who know many things, yet are lacking in wisdom.
– Democritus

Epicurus

 

220px-Epicurus_bust2

For Epicurus (Ancient Greek Philosopher 341-270 BC), the purpose of philosophy was to attain the happy, tranquil life, characterized by ataraxia—peace and freedom from fear—and aponia—the absence of pain—and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. He taught that pleasure and pain are the measures of what is good and evil; death is the end of both body and soul and should therefore not be feared; the gods do not reward or punish humans; the universe is infinite and eternal; and events in the world are ultimately based on the motions and interactions of atoms moving in empty space.

 

 

 

Epicureanism 

A beneficent person is like a fountain watering the earth, and spreading fertility; it is, therefore, more delightful and more honorable to give than receive.
—Epicurus.
……..
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
– Epicurus

““““`
It is folly for a man to pray to the gods for that which he has the power to obtain by himself.
~Epicurus
~~~~~~~~~
The art of living well and the art of dying well are one.
– Epicurus
…..
The kindest benefactors have no recollection of the good they do, and are surprised when men thank them for it.
– Epicurus
…..
Vain is the word of a philosopher which does not heal any suffering of man. For just as there is no profit in medicine if it does not expel the diseases of the body, so there is no profit in philosophy either, if it does not expel the suffering of the mind.
– Epicurus
…..
“We do not so much need the help of our friends as the confidence of their help in need.”
— Epicurus

…..

We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink.
– Epicurus

LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA – Stoic Philosopher

Philosopher

 

LUCIUS ANNAEUS SENECA – Stoic Philosopher

BioData

  • Full Name: Lucius Annaeus Seneca
  • Aka Seneca; Seneca the Elder
  • Birth: 4 BC
  • Death: AD 65
  • Occupation: Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, humorist,
  • Famous for:  Latin literature., being a tutor and later advisor to emperor Nero

Quotations:

A great step toward independence is a good-humoured stomach.
– Seneca
……..
All art is but imitation of nature.
– Seneca

A man’s as miserable as he thinks he is.
~Seneca

An unpopular rule is never long maintained.
– Seneca

Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.
– Seneca

Difficulties strengthen the mind, as well as labor does the body.
—Seneca.
……..
Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness.
~Seneca
……..
Forgive that you may be forgiven.
– Seneca
……..
God divided man into men that they might help each other.
—Seneca
……..
He grieves more than is necessary who grieves before it is necessary.
—Seneca.
………
He that visits the sick, in the hope of a legacy, I look upon him in this to be no better than a raven, that watches a weak sheep only to peck out the eyes of it.
—Seneca.
………
He who begs timidly courts a refusal.
—Seneca.
………
He is a fool who cannot be angry; but he is a wise man who will not.
—Seneca.
………
If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable.
– Seneca

If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him.
– Seneca
………
I will govern my life and my thoughts as if the whole world were to see the one and to read the other; for what does it signify to make anything a secret to my neighbor, when to God (who is the searcher of our hearts) all our privacies are open?
—Seneca
………
‘‘ It is a great thing to know the season for speech and the season for silence.’’
–  Seneca

….
It goes a great way toward making a man faithful, to let him understand that you think him so.
—Seneca.
….

It is another’s fault if he be ungrateful; but it is mine if I do not give. To find one thankful man, I will oblige many that are not so.

Seneca.

…..
Life’s like a play; It’s not the length, but the excellence of the acting that matters.
~Seneca
………….
Luck never made a man wise.
– Seneca
………….
No man is free who is a slave to any kind of useless habit.
— Seneca
……………
No evil propensity of the human heart is so powerful that it may not be subdued by discipline.
—Seneca
…………..
Overtasking the mind is an unwise act; when nature is unwilling, the labour is vain.
—Seneca.
.There is more heroism in self-denial than in deeds of arms.
— Seneca

………….
There is no benefit so small, that a good man will not magnify it.
—Seneca.
…..
‘Tis time enough to bear a misfortune when it comes without anticipating it.
—Seneca.
…..
The best cure of anger is delay.
– Seneca
……
True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The great blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.
Seneca
……
When I think over what I have said, I envy dumb people.
– Seneca
……..
When once ambition has passed its natural limits, its progress is boundless.
—Seneca.

……..
You won’t be surprised that diseases are innumerable – count the cooks.
– Seneca

Aeschylus – Father of Tragedy (c.525-456 BC)

Aeschylus, Wikipedia

 Aeschylus

The Father of Tragedy

BioData:

  • Birth:c. 525B
  • PoB: Eleusis, West  Attica, Greece
  • Death: 456 BC
  • Era: Ancient Greece
  • Occupation: playwrite, Soldier

 

Aeschylus is often called the father of tragedy.

Apparently he did not only write tragedies, there was a legend that his life ended up in tragedy.

The legend goes that Aeschylus went to Gela in Sicily to retire and indulge in a bit of R&R (rest and relaxation) contemplating the world.

One day he was really in a very deep meditation that he had fallen asleep in a Buddhaesque sitting position.

Out of nowhere an eagle flew over him and mistook him for a rock and started smashing a tortoiseshell against his head.  Poor Aeschylus died from this tragic occurrence.

Aeschylus left behind 90 plays of which only seven survived, these plays are now the starting point when researching the history of tragedy. He was the first of the triumvirate of ancient Greek tragedians. The other two being Sophocles and Euripides.


Qoutes Granary: Aeschylus

 

Everyone’s quick to blame the alien.
– Aeschylus

Few men have the natural strength to honour a friend’s success without envy. . . . I well know that mirror of friendship, shadow of a shade.
– Aeschylus

“Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.”
~Aeschylus

Hell to ships, hell to men, hell to cities.
– Aeschylus

“Honour thy father and thy mother” stands written among the three laws of most revered righteousness.
– Aeschylus

He hears but half, that hears one party only.
— Aeschylus

He who learns must suffer.  And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despite, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.
– Aeschylus

I would far rather be ignorant than wise in the foreboding of evil.
– Aeschylus

It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.
~Aeschylus

Learning is ever in the freshness of its youth, even for the old.
– Aeschylus

Oaths are not the cause why a man is believed, but the character of a man is the cause why the oath is believed.
—Aeschylus.

Success is man’s god.
– Aeschylus

Time as he grows old teaches many lessons.
– Aeschylus

Words are the physicians of a mind diseased.
– Aeschylus

Pindar, The Lyric Poet

Engraving of Pindar by AB Walter, Photo by Hulton

 

Pindar  was an ancient Greek lyric poet from Thebes, who lived from c. 522 -443 BC.

He was one of world’s first great writers on sports.

He would compose a poem to celebrate the prowess of the winners of athletic contests, like those of the Olympics.  His style of poetry was that of an ode, a praise poem,  and he was, therefore, the inventor of that poetic form.

 

Pindar Quoted:

Best of all things is water; but gold, like a gleaming fire, by night outshines all pride of wealth beside.
– Pindar

Days to come are the wisest witnesses.

Learn what you are and be such.
-Pindar

There are many sharp shafts in the quiver under my arm.
They speak to the understanding; for most men, they need interpreters.
The wise man knows many things by nature: the vulgar are taught.
They will say anything. They clatter vainly like crows against the divine bird of Zeus.
– Pindar

To be envied is a nobler fate than to be pitied.
– Pindar
—-
Whatever is beautiful is beautiful by necessity.
– Pindar
….
WRAPT up in error is the human mind,
And human bliss is ever insecure;
Know we what fortune yet remains behind?
Know we how long the present shall endure?
– Pindar.
—-