Creatures of a day. What is someone? What is no one? Man is the dream of a shadow. But when the brilliance given by Zeus comes, a shining light is on man, and a gentle lifetime.

τί δέ τις; τί δ᾽ οὔ τις; σκιᾶς ὄναρ ἄνθρωπος. ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν αἴγλα διόσδοτος ἔλθῃ, λαμπρὸν φέγγος ἔπεστιν ἀνδρῶν καὶ μείλιχος αἰών.

Pindar

Pythian Odes

Buy The Complete Odes at Amazon Buy The Complete Odes at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Ephemeral nature of life God's favor

Author

Pindar

Source

Pythian Odes

Medium

Poem

Language

Greek

Time

446 BC 440s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Occupation

Poet

From

Greece Europe Ancient Greece

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pindar. Pythian Odes. c. 474, pythian 8.

Current Citation

Pindar. The Complete Odes, translated by Anthony Verity. Oxford University Press, 2008, pythian 8.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Pindar about ephemeral nature of life: “Creatures of a day. What is someone? What is no one? Man is the…”
Download
A quote by Pindar about ephemeral nature of life: “Creatures of a day. What is someone? What is no one? Man is the…”
Download
A quote by Pindar about ephemeral nature of life: “Creatures of a day. What is someone? What is no one? Man is the…”
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 about Ephemeral nature of life

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

William Shakespeare

Macbeth

Buy Macbeth at Amazon Buy Macbeth at Amazon
Read Macbeth at The Folger Shakespeare Library
More information about this quote
Topic
Absurdity of life The absurd Life as performance Ephemeral nature of life Life
Speaker
Macbeth

Author

William Shakespeare
Source
Macbeth
Medium
Play
Genre
Tragedy (play)
Statement Type
Metaphor, analogy and simile
Language
English
Time
1616 1610s 17th century
Era
European Renaissance
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Macbeth." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 5, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Macbeth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 5, sc. 5.

Another quote from the 5th century BC

In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.

Psalm 120:1

Buy the Bible (KJV) at Amazon Buy the Bible (KJV) at Amazon
Read this verse at Bible Hub
More information about this quote
Topic
God's comfort Prayer
Source
Psalms The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Language
Hebrew
Time
450 BC 450s BC 5th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Psalm 120:1).

Another quote from Classical antiquity

One swallow does not make a spring.

Aristotle

The Nicomachean Ethics

Buy the Nicomachean Ethics at Amazon Buy the Nicomachean Ethics at Amazon
Read the Nicomachean Ethics at MIT's classics department website
More information about this quote
Topic
Jumping to conclusions Trends Patterns

Author

Aristotle
Source
The Nicomachean Ethics
Genre
Philosophical literature
Statement Type
Proverbs, aphorisms and adages Metaphor, analogy and simile
Language
Greek
Time
322 BC 320s BC 4th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Aristotle. Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια, Ēthika Nikomacheia [Nicomachean Ethics]. c. 322 BC.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics, translated by Terence Irwin. Hackett Publishing, 2019, bk. 1.

Another quote originally in Greek

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Jesus

Matthew 5:11

Buy the Bible (KJV) at Amazon Buy the Bible (KJV) at Amazon
Read this verse at Bible Hub
More information about this quote
Topic
Religious persecution Beatitudes Sermon on the Mount
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: The King James Version. 1611. (Matthew 5:11).