Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.
- Sophocles

A brave man dead, not even though you hate him.
- Sophocles

Every man can see things far off but is blind to what is near.
- Sophocles

For death is not the worst, but when one wants to die and is not able even to have that.
- Sophocles

Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth.
- Sophocles

What house, bloated with luxury, ever became prosperous without a woman’s excellence?
- Sophocles

But this is a true saying among men: the gifts of enemies are no gifts and profitless.
- Sophocles

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

There is a point at which even justice does injury.
- Sophocles

He who throws away a friend is as bad as he who throws away his life.
- Sophocles

War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always.
- Sophocles

A human being is only breath and shadow.
- Sophocles

How dreadful it is when the right judge judges wrong.
- Sophocles

Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it.
- Sophocles

There is no success without hardship.
- Sophocles

Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law than those who make the law.
- Sophocles

Show me the man who keeps his house in hand.
- Sophocles

Not even Ares battles against necessity.
- Sophocles

Rather throw away that which is dearest to you, your own life, than turn away a good friend.
- Sophocles

Do not grieve yourself too much for those you hate, nor yet forget them utterly.
- Sophocles

Reverence does not die with mortals, nor does it perish whether they live or die.
- Sophocles

Silence is an ornament for women.
- Sophocles

Wisdom is the most important part of happiness.
- Sophocles

Man is not constituted to take pleasure in the same things always.
- Sophocles

Grief teaches the steadiest minds to waver.
- Sophocles

Things gained through unjust fraud are never secure.
- Sophocles

For those whose wit becomes the mother of villainy, those it educates to be evil in all things.
- Sophocles

A soul that is kind and intends justice discovers more than any sophist.
- Sophocles

Nobody likes the man who brings bad news.
- Sophocles

Much speech is one thing, well-timed speech is another.
- Sophocles

Whoever grows angry amid troubles applies a drug worse than the disease and is a physician unskilled about misfortunes.
- Sophocles

Enemies’ gifts are no gifts and do no good.
- Sophocles

Men may know many things by seeing; but no prophet can see before the event, nor what end waits for him.
- Sophocles

Success is dependent on effort.
- Sophocles

Reason is God’s crowning gift to man.
- Sophocles

To give birth is a fearsome thing; there is no hating the child one has borne even when injured by it.
- Sophocles

Chance never helps those who do not help themselves.
- Sophocles

For the wretched one night is like a thousand; for someone faring well death is just one more night.
- Sophocles

Not all things are to be discovered; many are better concealed.
- Sophocles

Hide nothing, for time, which sees all and hears all, exposes all.
- Sophocles

Alas, how quickly the gratitude owed to the dead flows off, how quick to be proved a deceiver.
- Sophocles

What fate can be worse than to know we have no one but ourselves to blame for our misfortunes!
- Sophocles

Bear up, my child, bear up; Zeus who oversees and directs all things is still mighty in heaven.
- Sophocles

God’s dice always have a lucky roll.
- Sophocles

Men should pledge themselves to nothing; for reflection makes a liar of their resolution.
- Sophocles