Democritus Quotes

• Everywhere man blames nature and fate yet his fate is mostly but the echo of his character and passion, his mistakes and his weaknesses.

  Democritus

  Topics in Life, Mistake

• Strength and beauty are the blessings of youth; temperance, however, is the flower of old age.

  Democritus

  Topics in Uncategorized

• Happiness resides not in posessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul.

  Democritus

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Happiness

• Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains.

  Democritus

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Pleasures

• The wrongdoer is more unfortunate than the man wronged.

  Democritus

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Unfortunate

• Raising children is an uncertain thing; success is reached only after a life of battle and worry.

  Democritus

  Topics in Life, Success

• Our sins are more easily remembered than our good deeds.

  Democritus

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Good, Deeds

• Now as of old the gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful and injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts of the gods: men stumble into them themselves because of their own blindness and folly.

  Democritus

• Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion.

  Democritus

  Topics in Religion

  Tags in Science

• It is greed to do all the talking but not to want to listen at all.

  Democritus

• It is godlike ever to think on something beautiful and on something new.

  Democritus

• It is better to destroy one’s own errors than those of others.

  Democritus

• If thou suffer injustice, console thyself; the true unhappiness is in doing it.

  Democritus

• I would rather discover one true cause than gain the kingdom of Persia.

  Democritus

• Hope of ill gain is the beginning of loss.

  Democritus

• Good means not merely not to do wrong, but rather not to desire to do wrong.

  Democritus

• Everything existing in the universe is the fruit of chance and necessity.

  Democritus

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Philosophy, Science

• By desiring little, a poor man makes himself rich.

  Democritus

• Men should strive to think much and know little.

  Democritus

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Men

• Do not trust all men, but trust men of worth; the former course is silly, the latter a mark of prudence.

  Democritus

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Men

Democritus (22)

Birth:	460 BC
Death:	370 BC
Nationality:	Greek
Profession:	Philosopher

About

Democritus was born in Abdera, Thrace. He was a Greek  philosopher primarily remembered today for his formulation of an atomic theory of the universe. He is known for his influence on modern science more than any other pre-Socratic philosopher. He was also known as the “Laughing Philosopher", for his tendency to mock fellow citizens for their follies. What Democritus left has not survived in all of its physicality, but he has been written about by Aristotle, Theophrastus, Diogenes, along with a few others.  Democritus was also a pioneer of mathematics and geometry in particular.

Related Authors

• Martha Nussbaum
• Harold Innis
• Gerald Vann
• Galileo Galilei
• Thiruvalluvar
• William Petty
• Longinus
• Plutarch
• Isidore Auguste Marie Francois Xavier Comte
• Ali Shariati

Advertisement

Today's Anniversary - 17th April

Births

• 1967 - Liz Phair
• 1964 - Maynard James Keenan
• 1957 - Nick Hornby
• 1897 - Thornton Wilder
• 1985 - Rooney Mara

Deaths

• 2004 - Soundarya
• 1990 - Ralph Abernathy
• 1893 - Lucy Larcom
• 1884 - Thomas Gold Appleton
• 1835 - William Henry Ireland