Heraclitus Quotes

It is the thunderbolt that steers the course of all things.

τὰ δὲ πάντα οἰακίζει Κεραυνός

"Gustavo Solivellas dice: "Nuestra envidia siempre dura más que la felicidad de quien envidiamos" (Heráclito)"

Character is destiny.

ἐὰν μὴ ἔλπηται ἀνέλπιστον, οὐκ ἐξευρήσει

If all things were turned to smoke, the nostrils would distinguish them.

Whoever cannot seek the unforeseen sees nothing for the known way is an impasse.

We must realize that war is universal and strife is justice, and that all things come into the world and pass away through strife.

It is necessary to take what is common as our guide; however, though this logic is universal, the many live as if each individual has his own private wisdom.

Corpses are more fit to be cast out than dung.

#* Lucianus, Quomodo hist. conscrib. 2; Idem, Icaromen 8.

Πάντα ῥεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν μένει

The death of fire is the birth of air, and the death of air is the birth of water. For it is death to souls to become water, and death to water to become earth. But water comes from earth; and from water, soul. Cold things become warm, and what is warm cools; what is wet dries, and the parched is moistened. And it is the same thing in us that is quick and dead, awake and asleep, young and old; the former are shifted and become the latter, and the latter in turn are shifted and become the former.

The unlike is joined together, and from differences results the most beautiful harmony.

Τίς γὰρ αὐτῶν νόος ἢ φρήν; δήμων ἀοιδοῖσι ἕπονται καὶ διδασκάλῳ χρέωνται ὁμίλῳ, οὐκ εἰδότες ὅτι πολλοὶ κακοὶ ὀλίγοι δὲ ἀγαθοί. αἱρεῦνται γὰρ ἓν ἀντία πάντων οἱ ἄριστοι, κλέος ἀέναον θνητῶν, οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ κεκόρηνται ὅκωσπερ κτήνεα.

Ἀθάνατοι θνητοί, θνητοὶ ἀθάνατοι, ζῶντες τὸν ἐκείνων θάνατον τὸν δὲ ἐκείνων βίον τεθνεῶτες.

(Immortals are mortal, mortals are immortal, living out the other's death, dying out the other's life)