Even if you were a softy, you took the mattock, you dug, you were willing to work. In this part he most shows himself a man, whoever tolerates making himself equal to another, rich to poor. For this man will bear a change of fortune with self-control. You have given a sufficient proof of your character. I wish only that you remain as you are.
Athenian playwright of New Comedy
Menander (Greek: Μένανδρος; 342 BC – 291 BC), Greek dramatist, the chief representative of the New Comedy, was born in Athens. He was the author of more than a hundred comedies, most of which are lost. Only one play, Dyskolos, has survived in its entirety.
From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Native Name:
Μένανδρος
Alternative Names:
Menander of Athens
From Wikidata (CC0)
To say more than what's necessary I don't think is appropriate for a man. Except know this, child — for I wish to tell you a little about me and my character — if everyone were like me there wouldn't be law courts, and they wouldn't take them away to prisons, and there wouldn't be wars, but having goods in measure each man would be happy. But perhaps those things are more pleasing. Act that way. This difficult and grouchy old man will be out of your way.
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Take notice, Pheidias, that you are human yourself, and that the wretched man is also human, in order that you may not covet what's beyond you. But when you say that you suffer from insomnia, you'll know the cause if you'll examine yourself what man you are. You take a stroll in the market-place; you come in forthwith; if your two legs are tired you take a luxurious bath; you rise up and eat greedily at pleasure; your life itself is a sleep. In fine, you have no ill; your disease is luxury through which you have passed — but something rather hackneyed, my young master, occurs to me — please excuse me — as the saying goes, you know, you are so crowded by your blessings, know it well, that you have no room to defecate.