Quotes by Aristophanes

Aristophanes was an ancient Greek comic playwright, who wrote over 40 plays during his life in Athens. Here’s some of his most quoted words.

Who was Aristophanes?

Aristophanes was an ancient Greek playwright and poet, widely considered one of the greatest comic playwrights of the classical era. He is known for adapting traditional myths and stories into comedy filled tales with biting satire.

Aristophanes was born in Athens around 448 BCE and lived until around 380 BCE. He is best known for his comic dramas, which were performed in Athens during the city’s annual theater festival, but he also wrote politically charged pieces which took on the current ruling powers in Greece at the time.

These are some of the most quoted words and lines from the works of Aristophanes.

Best Aristophanes Quotes

You possess all the attributes of a demagogue; a screeching, horrible voice, a perverse, crossgrained nature and the language of the market-place. In you all is united which is needful for governing.

High thoughts must have high language.

Weak mortals, chained to the earth, creatures of clay as frail as the foliage of the woods, you unfortunate race, whose life is but darkness, as unreal as a shadow, the illusion of a dream.

Men of sense often learn from their enemies. It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls and ships of war; and this lesson saves their children, their homes, and their properties.

A man may learn wisdom even from a foe.

Famous Quotes By Aristophanes

Under every stone lurks a politician.

Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.

Let each man exercise the art he knows.

Look! When a man drinks, he is rich, everything he touches succeeds, he wins lawsuits, is happy and helps his friends. Come, bring hither quick a flagon of wine, that I may soak my brain and get an ingenious idea.

Quotes From Aristophanes

Comedy too can sometimes discern what is right.

One must not try to trick misfortune, but resign oneself to it with good grace.

Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.

Wise people, even though all laws were abolished, would still lead the same life.

Well Known Quotes Aristophanes

Man is naturally deceitful ever, in every way!

What Zeus? Do not trifle. There is no Zeus.

Your mind, you being here, is elsewhere.

Words give wings to the mind and make a man soar to heaven.

By Zeus, I don’t need anything, I just want to get laid!

He was easy here, will be easy there.

The wise learn many things from their enemies.

So, we must refrain from the penis.

To think, to see, to understand, to show the arse, to trick, to suspect the worst, to question everything.

Horrible voice, bad breeding, vulgar manners, you have everything you need to be a politician.

Woman is adept at getting money for herself and will not easily let herself be deceived. Because they are used to deceive.

A demagogue must be neither an educated nor a honest man; he has to be ignorant and a rogue.

That man is wise who can say what he wants in a minimum of words.

You will not persuade me, not even if you persuade me.

By words everybody is winged.

There is no beast like woman so untamed.

Where could I find a plug to stop the outpouring of my anus?

There is nothing sweeter than to fly.

I have nothing except the penis in my right hand.

Old men are children twice.

O democracy, where are you leading us?

Say something a little less educated and more apprehensible.

Aristophanes Quotes

You should have served as an oarsman before you try to take the helm.

The Generals are numerous, but not good for much!

When men drink, they are rich, they are successful, they win, they are happy and they are helpful to their friends.

You will never make the crab walk straight.

I want to survey the air for you and parcel it into acres.

We must look beneath every stone, lest it conceal some politician ready to sting us.

One’s country is wherever one does well.

Sacrilege or not, I want to crap.

Weep, moneylenders, yourselves and your money and your interest’s interest.

Always keep the populace on your side sweetening it with cooked words.

Quickly, bring me a flagon of wine, to soak my brain and say something smart.

Children have a master to teach them, grown-ups have the poets.