Democritus Quotes

Greek philosopher (c. 460–c. 370 BC)

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Democritus (c. 460 BC – c. 370 BC) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher. He is popularly known as "the laughing philosopher" for advocating a cheerful outlook, and for his rhetorical use of irony and ridicule. A pupil of Leucippus, he was an influential pre-Socratic philosopher who formulated an atomic theory of the universe. Of his voluminous writings, only a few fragments of his ethical theory remain, with descriptions by other writers of his atomic theory.

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Native Name: Δημόκριτος

Alternative Names: Democritus of Abdera • Laughing Philosopher • Demokritos

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Of practical wisdom these are the three fruits: to deliberate well, to speak to the point, to do what is right.

Education is an ornament for the prosperous, a refuge for the unfortunate.

In a shared fish, there are no bones.

He who intends to enjoy life should not be busy about many things, and in what he does should not undertake what exceeds his natural capacity. On the contrary, he should have himself so in hand that even when fortune comes his way, and is apparently ready to lead him on to higher things, he should put her aside and not o'erreach his powers. For a being of moderate size is safer than one that bulks too big.

We know nothing accurately in reality, but [only] as it changes according to the bodily condition, and the constitution of those things that flow upon [the body] and impinge upon it.

A life without a holiday is like a long journey without an inn to rest at.

Man is a universe in little [Microcosm].

You can tell the man who rings true from the man who rings false, not by his deeds alone, but also by his desires.

The word is the shadow of the deed.

Those who have a well-ordered character lead also a well-ordered life.

The hopes of the right-minded may be realized, those of fools are impossible.

Moderation multiplies pleasures, and increases pleasure.

Men have fashioned an image of Chance as an excuse for their own stupidity. For Chance rarely conflicts with intelligence, and most things in life can be set in order by an intelligent sharpsightedness.

By convention is sweet, by convention is bitter, by convention hot, by convention colour, but by verity atoms and void

False men and shams talk big and do nothing.