Democritus

A life without celebrations is like a long road without an inn.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΣΤ, 21

Brave is he who overcomes not only his enemies but also his pleasures.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΖ, 40

The man who is fortunate in his choice of son-in-law gains a son. The man unfortunate in his choice loses a daughter.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ο, 18

Many are knowledgable, yet are lacking in wisdom.

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DEMOCRITUS

The Fragments of the Pre-Socratics, Hermann Diels: DK 55B64

It is preferable to be praised by someone other than yourself.

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DEMOCRITUS

The Fragments of the Pre-Socratics, Hermann Diels: DK 55B114

Men pray to the gods to grant them health, without knowing that this ability lies within them. Through lack of control, they themselves betray their health with their desires.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΗ, 31

A grateful man takes pleasure in what he has instead of feeling sorry for what he has not.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΖ, 26

Voluntary burdens prepare us to better endure the involuntary ones.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΚΘ, 63

Happy is he who feels content with modest wealth, and unhappy he who feels sad, even though he has plenty.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΓ, 17

It is better to control one's own faults than those of others.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΓ, 26

Poverty in a democracy is as preferable to prosperity in an autocracy, as freedom is to slavery.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΜΓ, 42

Medicine cures the diseases of the body, while wisdom liberates the soul from its passions.

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DEMOCRITUS

The Fragments of the Pre-Socratics, Hermann Diels: DK 55B31

Life is not worthy without an invaluable friend.

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DEMOCRITUS

The Fragments of the Pre-Socratics, Hermann Diels: DK 55B99

Many seem to be genuine friends but aren’t, and those who are true friends are not the obvious ones.

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DEMOCRITUS

The Fragments of the Pre-Socratics, Hermann Diels: DK 55B97

A man is deemed to be worthy, not only by his doings but also by his intentions.

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DEMOCRITUS

The Fragments of the Pre-Socratics, Hermann Diels: DK 55B68

People with decent character have order in their lives.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΛΖ, 26

Some men are masters of cities but slaves to women.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΣΤ, 11

Sleeping during the day means either an illness of the body, or anxiety, or laziness, or lack of education.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΣΤ, 55

Fornication is a small mania because men exceed their limits.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΣΤ, 57

Misfortune's impact is not great when bravery exists.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ζ, 22

The achievement of justice is the courage of conviction and serenity while the limit of injustice is the fear of disaster.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ζ, 32

Wisdom is the most indestructible and precious of all virtues.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ζ, 80

Men should take care of their souls more than their bodies. Because a perfectly formed soul suppresses the vile traits of the body, while the strength of the body that lacks reason, offers nothing to the soul.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Α, 39

Those who take pleasure in the woes of others, neglect the fact that luck is common amongst all people. They are missing out on happiness derived from their own deeds.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΙΒ, 10

Evil stems from goods when one doesn’t know how to bring them together.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Δ, 53

The greatest insult to a man is to be governed by his wife.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΟΔ, 39

The power of youth is strength and beauty, the power of old age is prudence.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΙΕ, 19

The old man was young once, while it is uncertain if the young will reach old age. Therefore, the acts that were completed are superior to those with an uncertain future.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΙΕ, 21

Reason is often the most powerful persuader.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΠΑ, 11

It's not a virtue to not be unjust, but to not desire injustice.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Θ, 31

Gods' beloved are only those who despise injustice.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Θ, 32

Utilize each of your servants for different tasks, like the parts of your body.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΞΒ, 45

The rarest of pleasures bring the most joy.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΖ, 38

If one surpasses the limits, pleasant things may turn unpleasant.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΖ, 39

The oaths that insignificant people take when in need are never kept after they pull through.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΚΗ, 9

The lover’s lament is fulfilled by the beloved.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΞΓ, 33

The nobility of beasts lies in physical strength and that of men in well-cultivated morals.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Π, 18

Good things are hard to come by, while evil things arrive without a chase.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ϟΗ, 58

All men, being conscious of life’s unfairness, are beset while alive by fear and pressure, and out of fear they devise false stories for the afterlife.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ϟΗ, 61

One should know that human life is frail and brief, full of misfortunes and difficulties. That is so that man can have some restraint in his effort to achieve wealth, and to exert himself in moderation while pursuing what is necessary.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ϟΗ, 65

It is easy to praise or accuse what you shouldn’t. Both are a sign of bad character.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Β, 37

General poverty is worse than individual poverty because there is no chance for help.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΔ, 20

The praise of good deeds is gratifying. The praise of dishonest deeds is a corrupt tactic performed by crooks.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΔ, 8

By nature, leadership belongs to the most capable.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΜΖ, 19

It is for the best if fools are ruled, rather than rule.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΜΔ, 14

Exile teaches self-sufficiency in life. Because barley bread and a straw mattress are the sweetest remedies for hunger and toil.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Μ, 6

It is hard to fight against anger. Mastering it is the sign of a rational man.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Κ, 56

Every dispute is a folly. Because it concentrates on the opponent's damage while failing to understand its own benefit.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Κ, 62

Raising children is full of uncertainty. Success is reached only after a life of battle and worry while failure brings more woes.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΟΣΤ, 13

I don’t think we should have children. I can see plenty of great dangers, plenty of sorrows, and little prosperity.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΟΣΤ, 15

Ill-gotten wealth makes shame more prominent.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ι, 37

It is vain to offer advice to someone who believes that has a mind of gold.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ι, 43

Ill-gotten profits harm virtue.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ι, 45

Seeking immoral profit is a cause for losses.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ι, 58

People give as a pretext the good of their children for being greedy which reveals their character.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ι, 65

Everything the body needs, man can have easily and without toil and hardship. The things that demand toil and hardship are not needed by the body but desired by false beliefs.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ι, 66

A desire for more destroys what you already have, so it resembles the dog of Aesopus.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ι, 69

Just as gangrene is a terrible disease for the body, so is the lack of moderation for money.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ϟΒ, 14

Law strives to benefit people’s lives and achieves that goal when the people themselves want to be benefited. For the law shows its virtue to those who adhere to it.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΜΓ, 33

Civil war is a disaster for both parties, for it damages both the winners and the losers.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΜΓ, 34

Great deeds are accomplished through unity, and with unity, cities can wage victorious wars. It is the only way.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΜΓ, 40

It is infuriating for someone to be ruled by incompetents.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΜΕ, 27

Fear creates sycophants and has no friends.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΜΗ, 13

It is possible to educate your children, by not spending much money. This way you build a life-saving wall to protect both your money and your life.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΠΓ, 26

In front of the law, the ruler, and the wise, one should be reserved.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ε, 23

Chance can offer you a rich table, but only prudence can provide you with a self-sufficient one.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ε, 38

A father’s prudence is the best advice to his children.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ε, 44

Moderation tends to increase enjoyment and makes pleasure even greater.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ε, 49

We shouldn’t desire all pleasures, but only those that bring us closer to grace.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ε, 77

Fair love leads to good things without conceit.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Ε, 78

We should help those who are wronged and not be indifferent. Because this is just, while the opposite is unfair and evil.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Μ, 43

He who is rightly honored possesses a great part in justice and virtue.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Μ, 45

Based on the present social environment there is no way for the rulers not to be unjust, even if they command well. For everyone believes that he doesn’t belong to anyone else’s authority, besides that of himself.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Μ, 48

One should respect himself more than others and never act evil, whether it will be known by no one or by everyone. Have it as a law in your soul, to never do anything vulgar.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Μ, 46

Men remember mistakes more than the right things and that is how it should be. Similarly, a ruler wasn’t elected to harm but to do good.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Μ, 47

Bravery is responsible for the start while luck for the ending.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΝΑ, 16

He who competes with the best ends in bad shape.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΚΒ, 42

It is folly not to compromise with what life brings.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΗ, 64

You should use reason to drive away the unjustifiable sorrow of the lethargic soul.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΗ, 67

It is of great importance for someone to maintain a composed thought in the midst of woes.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΗ, 68

It is the attribute of a great soul to face misfortunes with composure.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΗ, 69

It is a sign of prudence to face poverty with dignity.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΡΗ, 70

Misers have the habits of a bee, meaning that they work as if they are going to live forever.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΣΤ, 16

Avarice and hunger are useful at times, and so is spending. Knowing that, is a sign of a virtuous man.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΣΤ, 18

The children of misers end up uneducated, like the dancers who jump between knives and missing one step gets them killed. Likewise, if they deviate from their father’s avaricious example, they believe they are lost.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΣΤ, 17

The virtuous man does not care for the judgment of evil.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΛΗ, 46

The envious makes himself miserable as if he was his own enemy.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΛΗ, 47

The laws would not prevent each man from living according to his inclination unless individuals harmed each other. For envy creates the beginning of strife.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΛΗ, 57

Constant toil turns easier with habit.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΚΘ, 64

More men have become great through study and practice than by nature.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΚΘ, 66

Constant procrastination makes us unable to finish our work.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΚΘ, 67

All toils are sweeter than idleness when men achieve that for which they toil or it is certain that they will succeed. But when they fail, they feel upset and worried.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΚΘ, 88

It is a sign of selfishness to do all the talking and not listen at all.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Λ, 24

The boundary between beneficial or harmful is contentment, or the lack thereof.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Γ, 35

Great pleasures come from the sight of beautiful works.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: Γ, 57

If you don't desire much, little will seem a lot. Limiting desire makes poverty equivalent to wealth.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ϟΖ, 24

When best, we should speak the truth.

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DEMOCRITUS

Ιωάννου Στοβαίου Ανθολόγιον: ΙΒ, 13