Of all the creatures that breathe and move across the earth, there is nothing feebler than man.

οὐδὲν ἀκιδνότερον γαῖα τρέφει ἀνθρώποιο,
πάντων ὅσσα τε γαῖαν ἔπι πνείει τε καὶ ἕρπει.

Homer

The Odyssey

Buy The Odyssey at Amazon Buy The Odyssey at Amazon
Read The Odyssey at MIT's classics department website

More information about this quote

Topic

Human frailty Nature of man

Author

Homer

Source

The Odyssey

Medium

Poem

Genre

Epic poem

Language

Greek

Time

700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Occupation

Poet

From

Greece Europe Ancient Greece

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Homer. Ὀδύσσεια [Odyssey]. c. 710 BC, bk. 18, l. 130.

Current Citation

Homer. The Odyssey, edited by Bernard Knox, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2006, bk. 18, l. 130.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Homer about human frailty: “Of all the creatures that breathe and move across the earth, there is nothing…”
Download
A quote by Homer about human frailty: “Of all the creatures that breathe and move across the earth, there is nothing…”
Download
A quote by Homer about human frailty: “Of all the creatures that breathe and move across the earth, there is nothing…”
Download

Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Homer

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.

Homer

The Odyssey

Buy The Odyssey at Amazon Buy The Odyssey at Amazon
Read The Odyssey at MIT's classics department website
More information about this quote
Topic
Slavery Death

Author

Homer
Source
The Odyssey
Medium
Poem
Genre
Epic poem
Language
Greek
Time
700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Homer. Ὀδύσσεια [Odyssey]. c. 710 BC, bk. 11, l. 489-491.

Current Citation

Homer. The Odyssey, edited by Bernard Knox, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2006, bk. 11, l. 489-491.

Another quote about Nature of man

If you inquire what the people are like here, I must answer, "The same as everywhere!"

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The Sorrows of Young Werther

Buy The Sorrows of Young Werther at Amazon Buy The Sorrows of Young Werther at Amazon
Read The Sorrows of Young Werther at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Nature of man

Author

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Source
The Sorrows of Young Werther
Medium
Novel
Genre
Epistolary novel
Language
German
Time
1774 1770s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. Die Leiden des jungen Werthers [The Sorrows of Young Werther]. Leipzig: Weygand'sche Buchhandlung, 1774.

Current Citation

Von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. "The Sorrows of Young Werther." The Sorrows of Young Werther and Selected Writings, translated by Catherin Hutter. Signet, 2013.

Another quote from the 8th century BC

Between us and excellence, the gods have placed the sweat of our brows.

Hesiod

Works and Days

Buy Works and Days at Amazon Buy Works and Days at Amazon
Read Works and Days at Harvard's classics page
More information about this quote
Topic
Hard work Excellence Character Virtue The human condition

Author

Hesiod
Source
Works and Days
Medium
Poem
Genre
Didactic poem
Language
Greek
Time
700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 1
Original Citation

Hesiod. Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι [Works and Days]. c. 700 BC, l. 289.

Current Citation

Hesiod. "Works and Days." Theogony and Works and Days, translated by M. L. West. Oxford University Press, 2009, l. 289.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?

Epictetus

The Enchiridion

Read The Enchiridion at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote

Author

Epictetus
Source
The Enchiridion
Genre
Philosophical literature
Statement Type
Question
Language
Greek
Time
135 130s 2nd century
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Epictetus. Ἐγχειρίδιον Ἐπικτήτου, Enkheirídion Epiktḗtou [Enchiridion of Epictetus]. c. 125 CE, ch. 51.

Current Citation

Epictetus. Enchiridion, translated by George Long. Dover Publications, 2004, ch. 51.

Another quote originally in Greek

For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.

Jesus

Matthew 25:35-36

Buy the Bible (NKJV) at Amazon Buy the Bible (NKJV) at Amazon
Read this verse at Bible Hub
More information about this quote
Topic
Serving others Charity
Speaker
Jesus
Source
Gospel of Matthew The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Language
Greek
Time
60 60s 1st century
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Thomas Nelson, 1982. (Matthew 25:35-36).