George Sarton Quotes

The rationalism of the creative minds was tempered by abundant fantasies, and the supreme beauty of the monuments was probably spoiled by the circumambient vanities and ugliness; in a few cases the Greeks came as close to perfection as it was possible to do, yet they were human and imperfect.

From the humanistic point of view every human achievement is unforgettable and immortal in its essence, even if it is replaced by a "better" one.

The whole iconography of ancient science is simply the fruit of wishful thinking.

The scientific books written in Arabic during the Middle Ages were, for a few centuries, the main vehicle of the living science.

Arabic science was the fruit of Semitic genius fertilized by the Iranian genius.

The Hellenistic world was international to a degree, polyglot and inspired by many religious faiths. ...the Greek ideals were pagan and the Hellenistic age witnessed their death struggle against Asiatic and Egyptian mysteries, on the one side, and against Judaism, on the other.