You will certainly not be able to take the lead in all things yourself, for to one man a god has given deeds of war, and to another the dance, to another lyre and song, and in another wide-sounding Zeus puts a good mind.
Thus have the gods spun the thread for wretched mortals: that they live in grief while they themselves are without cares; for two jars stand on the floor of Zeus of the gifts which he gives, one of evils and another of blessings.
Steel itself oft lures a man to fight.
Forget the brother and resume the man.
There is a fullness of all things, even of sleep and love.
I should rather labor as another’s serf, in the home of a man without fortune, one whose livelihood was meager, than rule over all the departed dead.
It is equally wrong to speed a guest who does not want to go, and to keep one back who is eager. You ought to make welcome the present guest, and send forth the one who wishes to go.
I’m in a place where I don’t know where I am!
You ought not to practice childish ways, since you are no longer that age.
Wide-sounding Zeus takes away half a man’s worth on the day when slavery comes upon him.
The minds of the everlasting gods are not changed suddenly.
So it is that the gods do not give all men gifts of grace – neither good looks nor intelligence nor eloquence.
It was built against the will of the immortal gods, and so it did not last for long.
It is not possible to fight beyond your strength, even if you strive.
If you are very valiant, it is a god, I think, who gave you this gift.
Do not mourn the dead with the belly.
Look now how mortals are blaming the gods, for they say that evils come from us, but in fact they themselves have woes beyond their share because of their own follies.
Short is my date, but deathless my renown.
The rest were vulgar deaths unknown to fame.
Beyond his strength no man can fight, although he be eager.