Diogenes Laertius Quotes - Page 2

• One of the sophisms of Chrysippus was, "If you have not lost a thing, you have it.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Lost, Ifs

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• Bion used to say that the way to the shades below was easy; he could go there with his eyes shut.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Eye, Shade, Way

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• Heraclitus says that Pittacus, when he had got Alcæus into his power, released him, saying, "Forgiveness is better than revenge.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Revenge

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• It used to be a common saying of Myson's that men ought not to seek for things in words, but for words in things; for that things are not made on account of words but that words are put together for the sake of things.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Men, Together, Sake

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• One of the sayings of Diogenes was that most men were within a finger's breadth of being mad; for if a man walked with his middle finger pointing out, folks would think him mad, but not so if it were his forefinger.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Thinking, Men, Mad

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• Aristippus being asked what were the most necessary things for well-born boys to learn, said, "Those things which they will put in practice when they become men.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Boys, Men, Practice

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• Plato was continually saying to Xenocrates, "Sacrifice to the Graces.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Plato, Sacrifice, Grace

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• Thales said there was no difference between life and death. Why, then, said some one to him, do not you die? Because, said he, it does make no difference.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Differences, Life And Death, Doe

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• Diogenes said once to a person who was showing him a dial, "It is a very useful thing to save a man from being too late for supper.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Men, Too Late, Said

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• The Stoics also teach that God is unity, and that he is called Mind and Fate and Jupiter, and by many other names besides.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Fate, Names, Unity

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• Pythagoras used to say that he had received as a gift from Mercury the perpetual transmigration of his soul, so that it was constantly transmigrating and passing into all sorts of plants or animals.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Animal, Soul, Mercury

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• If appearances are deceitful, then they do not deserve any confidence when they assert what appears to them to be true.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Appearance, Deceitful, Being True

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• Once when Bion was at sea in the company of some wicked men, he fell into the hands of pirates; and when the rest said, "We are undone if we are known,"-"But I," said he, "am undone if we are not known.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Men, Hands, Sea

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• Pittacus said that half was more than the whole.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Half, Said, Whole

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• When asked what learning was the most necessary, he said, “Not to unlearn what you have learned!”

  Diogenes Laertius

  Education, Teacher, Said

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• Anarcharsis, on learning that the sides of a ship were four fingers thick, said that "the passengers were just that distance from death.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Distance, Sides, Four

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• The mountains too, at a distance, appear airy masses and smooth, but seen near at hand they are rough.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Distance, Hands, Mountain

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• But Chrysippus, Posidonius, Zeno, and Boëthus say, that all things are produced by fate. And fate is a connected cause of existing things, or the reason according to which the world is regulated.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Fate, World, Causes

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• Xenophanes speaks thus:-And no man knows distinctly anything,And no man ever will.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Men, Speak, Knows

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• Anaximander used to assert that the primary cause of all things was the Infinite,-not defining exactly whether he meant air or water or anything else.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Air, Water, Causes

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• Arcesilaus had a peculiar habit while conversing of using the expression, "My opinion is," and "So and so will not agree to this.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Expression, Peculiar, Opinion

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• Diogenes would frequently praise those who were about to marry, and yet did not marry.

  Diogenes Laertius

  Praise

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