Ancient Greek Quotes, That Might Change Your Way Of Thinking

I love quotes. They are good, because they can pack a sea of wisdom into a single sentence. I thought, since we all have suffered from long hard months, I would bring you the wisdom of ancient Greek philosophers today, and we can discuss and reflect on them.

The quotes mean different things to different people. In this article, I will talk about them according to my own insights, but of course you may have a completely different opinion, than I do.

If you have a favourite quote or philosopher, feel free to share it with us. Write down, who it is and which quote you like the most and why.

Heraclitus of Ephesus

“Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become.”

I find the wording itself interesting, because it doesn't say that you are, but that you become what you choose, what you think and what you do, so you are not a defining, established personality, but these things, that has been said in the quote, will shape you and your personality into the way you choose, think and do.

These three things are in a constant cycle, because they all affect each other. Thus, day by day, by the presence of these three things in your life, you are shaping your morality.

Socrates

"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel."

Unfortunately, the education system in schools has not been teaching students what they really need to know for decades. There is knowledge drawn from different sources, which is then put and mixed into a big pot and pushed into the minds of students, regardless of their motivation, ability, interests, vision and affinity.

As a result, students lose their love of learning. If, on the other hand, efforts were made to ignite the flame of the love of knowledge in the minds of students, this particular flame could fuel many things in the students from many sources in their life.

Plato

"There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot."

This is probably the most liked quote of mine. If there is an opportunity and you can change or help your problem, don't get upset, because it's completely unnecessary. Simply go and help yourself, solve the problem, with or without help.

If you can't help your problem, for example, you are on a train, that is half an hour late, don't fret about it, because you are not helping anything. The situation will not get better, it will not be solved. You won't get there in time anyway.

Aristotle

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

In today's debate culture, people are neither able nor willing to listen to opinions, that differ from their own. We always present our own arguments and ignore the fact, that the other person may be right.

Many people deny, argue and stigmatise others, but how much different and more peaceful the debate would be, if we could calmly and open-mindedly insert ourselves into each other's thoughts and discuss issues like intelligent people.

Epictetus

"God has entrusted me with myself."

This quote puts thinking about ourselves in a completely different perspective.

Think about it, if you get or buy anything for yourself - an object, a plant or a pet - you take care of it, you take charge of it, you feed it, you water it, you cherish it and you look after it.

In contrast, we no longer give so much care, love or attention to ourselves.

Epictetus here says in his quote, that God has entrusted us with the care of ourselves, that we may care for ourselves.

Democritus

“Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul.”

There is much truth in Democritus' quote. I cannot count the number of times in my life I have heard the proverb that money can't buy happiness. You can be as rich as you like if you are unhappy.

However, if you are happy without money, you are the richest, because your soul is bathed in happiness, and no one can buy that happiness from you for any money.

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