45 Heraclitus Quotes That Inspire and Celebrate Change
Heraclitus of Ephesus (born c. 540 BCE, Ephesus, Anatolia [now Selçuk, Turkey] — died c. 480, Ephesus, Ionia, Delian League) was an ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher from the city of Ephesus, which was then part of the Persian Empire. His paradoxical philosophy and appreciation for wordplay and cryptic utterances has earned him the epithet "the obscure" since antiquity. He was considered a misanthrope who was subject to melancholia. Consequently, Heraclitus became known as "the weeping philosopher" in contrast to the ancient philosopher Democritus, who was known as "the laughing philosopher".
Top 15 Most Famous Heraclitus Quotes
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.Time is a game played beautifully by children.Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.The only thing that is constant is change.Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play.Even a soul submerged in sleep is hard at work and helps make something of the world.The eyes are more exact witnesses than the ears.Much learning does not teach understanding.Our envy always lasts longer than the happiness of those we envy.If you do not expect the unexpected you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail.It is in changing that we find purpose.The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you do is who you become.Give me one man from among ten thousand if he is the best.Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.Hide our ignorance as we will, an evening of wine soon reveals it.
30 Inspirationa Heraclitus Quotes About Change, Life, Character, Purpose, Success, Thoughts and Patience
Big results require big ambitions.Man’s character is his fate.The hidden harmony is better than the obvious.We are most nearly ourselves when we achieve the seriousness of the child at play.Whoever cannot seek the unforeseen sees nothing for the known way is an impasse.The sun is new each day.Character is destiny.The soul is dyed the color of its thoughts. Think only on those things that are in line with your principles and can bear the light of day.The awake share a common world, but the asleep turn aside into private worlds.It is harder to fight pleasure than to fight emotion.Other men are unaware of what they do when they are awake just as they are forgetful of what they do when they are asleep.Opposition brings concord. Out of discord comes the fairest harmony.The unlike is joined together, and from differences results the most beautiful harmony.People ought to fight to keep their law as to defend the city’s walls.Deliberate violence is more to be quenched than a fire.War is father of all, and king of all. He renders some gods, others men; he makes some slaves, others free.Thinking is a sacred disease and sight is deceptive.Justice will overtake fabricators of lies and false witnesses.To be evenminded is the greatest virtue. Wisdom is to speak the truth and act in keeping with its nature.Those who love wisdom must investigate many things.Wisdom is the oneness of mind that guides and permeates all things.Because it is so unbelievable, the truth often escapes being known.Knowledge is not intelligence.Dog bark at what they don’t understand.All things come into being by conflict of opposites.What was scattered gathers. What was gathered blows away.Uncelebrated life is like a long innless road.May you have plenty of wealth, you men of Ephesus, in order that you may be punished for your evil ways.God is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, surfeit and hunger.To God everything is beautiful, good, and just; humans, however, think some things are unjust and others just.
