Top 500 Sophocles Quotes (2024 Update)
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251. “Of no mortal say, ‘That man is happy,’ till vexed by no grievous ill he pass Life’s goal.”

— Sophocles

252. “The man the state has put in place must have obedient hearing to his least command when it is right, and even when it’s not.”

— Sophocles

253. “Not from Hades’ black and universal lake can you lift him. Not by groaning, not by prayers. Yet you run yourself out in a grief with no cure, no time-limit, no measure. It is a knot no one can untie. Why are you so in love with things unbearable?”

— Sophocles

254. “Heaven ne’er helps the men who will not act.”

— Sophocles

255. “If I am Sophocles, I am not mad; and if I am mad, I am not Sophocles.”

— Sophocles

256. “Though a man be wise it is no shame for him to live and learn.”

— Sophocles

257. “Of evils current upon earth The worst is money. Money ’tis that sacks Cities, and drives men forth from hearth and home; Warps and seduces native innocence, And breeds a habit of dishonesty.”

— Sophocles

258. “A friend in word is never friend of mine.”

— Sophocles

259. “The only crime is pride.”

— Sophocles

260. “Shall we not perish wretchedest of all, If in defiance of the law we cross A monarch’s will? – weak women, think of that, Not framed by nature to contend with men. Remember.”

— Sophocles

261. “Money is the worst currency that ever grew among mankind. This sacks cities, this drives men from their homes, this teaches and corrupts the worthiest minds to turn base deeds.”

— Sophocles

262. “Even the bold will fly when they see Death drawing in close enough to end their life.”

— Sophocles

263. “A fool cannot be an actor, though an actor may act a fool’s part.”

— Sophocles

264. “The end excuses any evil.”

— Sophocles

265. “I owe more to the dead, with whom I will spend a much longer time, than I will ever owe to the living.”

— Sophocles

266. “It is best to live anyhow, as one may; do not be afraid of marriage with your mother! Many have lain with their mothers in dreams too. It is he to whom such things are nothing who puts up with life best.”

— Sophocles

267. “Many are the things that man seeing must understand. Not seeing, how shall he know what lies in the hand of time to come?”

— Sophocles

268. “For whoever knows how to return a kindness he has received must be a friend above all price.”

— Sophocles

269. “You are a woman marked for sorrow.”

— Sophocles

270. “It is the dead, not the living, who make the longest demands.”

— Sophocles

271. “For a man to help others with all his gifts and native strength: that is the noblest work.”

— Sophocles

272. “For every nation that lives peaceably, there will be many others to grow hard and push their arrogance to extremes; the gods attend to these things slowly. But they attend to those who put off God and turn to madness.”

— Sophocles

273. “The shimmering night does not stay for mortals, not misfortunes, nor wealth, but in a moment it is gone, and to the turn of another comes joy and loss.”

— Sophocles

274. “Ugly deeds are taught by ugly deeds.”

— Sophocles

275. “In his den the monster keep, Giver of eternal sleep.”

— Sophocles

276. “The gods plant reason in mankind, of all good gifts the highest.”

— Sophocles

277. “Foolishness is indeed the sister of wickedness.”

— Sophocles

278. “Deem no man happy until he passes the edo fhis life without suffering grief.”

— Sophocles

279. “It is hope that maintains most of mankind.”

— Sophocles

280. “You win the victory when you yield to friends.”

— Sophocles

281. “Comply, and fear not, for my load of woe Is incommunicable to all but me.”

— Sophocles

282. “An enemy’s gift is ruinous and no gift.”

— Sophocles

283. “The sleep of a sick man has keen eyes. It is a sleep unsleeping.”

— Sophocles

284. “But the power of destiny is something awesome; neither wealth, nor Ares, nor a tower, nor dark-hulled ships might escape it.”

— Sophocles

285. “A state is not a state if it belongs to one man.”

— Sophocles

286. “To many men much-wandering hope comes as a boon, but to many others it is the deception of vain desires.”

— Sophocles

287. “I am at the end. I exist no more.”

— Sophocles

288. “A prudent mind can see room for misgiving, lest he who prospers should one day suffer reverse.”

— Sophocles

289. “In time you will know this well: For time, and time alone, will show the just man, though scoundrels are discovered in a day.”

— Sophocles

290. “Mortal man must always look to his ending. And none can be called happy until that day when he carries his happiness down to the grave in peace.” – Sophocles.”

— Sophocles

291. “Surely, to think your own the only wisdom, and yours the only word, the only will, betrays a shallow spirit, an empty heart.”

— Sophocles

292. “Better not to exist than live basely.”

— Sophocles

293. “Is anyone in all the world safe from unhappiness?”

— Sophocles

294. “Best of children, sisters arm-in-arm, we must bear what the gods give us to bear – don’t fire up your hearts with so much grief. No reason to blame the pass you’ve come to now.”

— Sophocles

295. “Another husband could be found and with That husband another son. But I have no mother now. I have no father. I cannot bring another brother to the world.”

— Sophocles

296. “It is always fair sailing, when you escape evil.”

— Sophocles

297. “There is a kind of excellence in me and you – born in us – and it cannot live in shame.”

— Sophocles

298. “Of all human ills, greatest is fortune’s wayward tyranny.”

— Sophocles

299. “We long to have again the vanished past, in spite of all its pain.”

— Sophocles

300. “This is Electra. Brilliant no more.”

— Sophocles