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Greek Proverbs and Sayings
Ἀγεωμέτρητος μηδεὶς εἰσίτω
Ageōmetrētos mēdeis eisitō.
"Let no-one without knowledge of geometry enter". Motto over the entrance to Plato's Academy (quoted in Elias'
commentary on Aristotle's Categories).
Motto of Boston College
Ἀἰὲν ἀριστεύειν
aien aristeuein
"Ever to Excel“
"Ever to Excel" is the English translation of the Ancient Greek expression, used also as a motto at the University of St
Andrews (founded 1410), the Edinburgh Academy (founded 1824), and Boston College (founded 1863). It is derived
from the sixth book of Homer's Iliad, (Iliad 6. 208) in a speech Glaucus delivers to Diomedes:
"Hippolocus begat me. I claim to be his son, and he sent me to Troy with strict instructions: Ever to excel, to do better
than others, and to bring glory to your forebears, who indeed were very great ... This is my ancestry; this is the blood I
am proud to inherit."
Ἀπὸ μηχανῆς Θεός
Apo mēchanēs Theos
Deus ex machina
"God from the machine". This refers to unexpected help. It origins from the way god figures apeared in ancient Greek
theaters where there was a machine holding them high to show they were coming from the sky. Typical scenarios where
this expression would be used is for example "I had a car crash and the first person to pass by was a doctor, like Aπὸ
μηχανῆς Θεός" and "I will break down the fax machine and when Jane tries to use it, I will appear there like Aπὸ
μηχανῆς Θεός".
Γενηθήτω φῶς.
Genēthētō phōs.
Fiat lux.
"Let there be light"
This is the Latin translation of the Hebrew ‫( יֹו אי הְי‬yehiy 'or). The phrase is often used for its metaphorical meaning of
dispelling ignorance.
Γνῶθι σεαυτόν.
Gnōthi seauton.
"Know thyself" — aphorism inscribed over the entrance to the temple of Apollo at Delphi.
Εὕρηκα!
Εὕρηκα!
Heurēka!
"Eureka!" — while Archimedes was taking a bath, he noticed that the level of the water rose as he got in; having
suddenly discovered that the volume of water displaced must be equal to the volume of the part of his body he had
submerged. This meant that the volume of irregular objects could be calculated with precision, a previously intractable
problem. He was so excited that he ran through the streets naked and still wet from his bath, crying "I have found it!".
ζῷον πολιτικὸν
zōon politikon
Aristotle, Politics, book 1: ὁ ἄνθρωπος φύσει πολιτικὸν ζῷον
"Man is by nature a political animal", i.e. animal of the polis or social being
Ἢ τὰν ἢ ἐπὶ τᾶς
Ē tan ē epi tas
"Either with it, or on it", "Either with your shield, or upon it " - meaning "either you will win the battle, or you will die
and then be carried back home on your shield".
It was said by Spartan mothers to their sons before they went out to battle to remind them of their bravery and duty to
Sparta and Greece. A hoplite could not escape the field of battle unless he tossed away the heavy and cumbersome
shield. Therefore losing one's shield meant desertion. (Plutarch, Moralia, 241)
Θάλασσα καὶ πῦρ καὶ γυνή, κακὰ τρία
Thalassa kai pŷr kai gynē, kaka tria.
"Sea and fire and woman, three evils."
ΙΧΘΥΣ: Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ
Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ
Iēsous Christos Theou Hyios Sōtēr
"Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour." As an acronym: ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthys) — "fish".
Καὶ σὺ, τέκνον;
Kai sy, teknon;
"And thou, my child?" or "Even you, my child?" (Et tu, Brute?)
On March 15, 44 BC, Julius Caesar was attacked by a group of senators, including Marcus Junius Brutus, a senator and
Caesar's adopted son. Caesar initially resisted his attackers, but when he saw Brutus, he supposedly spoke those words
and resigned himself to his fate. It is almost certain that Caesar did not actually say these exact words. Ancient sources
report that he either died wordlessly or said "Καὶ σύ, τέκνον" (Kai sy, teknon?), Greek for "You too, my child?"
(Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum, LXXXII [1]). The Latin version ("Et tu, Brute?") was made famous by William
Shakespeare, who used it in his play, Julius Caesar (act 3, scene 1,85).
Κακὸς ἀνὴρ μακρόβιος
Kakos anēr makrobios
"A bad man lives long"
Καλλίστῃ
Kallistēi
"For the prettiest one", "To the most beautiful", from the myth of the Golden Apple of Discord.
Κύριε ἐλέησον
Kyrie eleēson.
"Lord have mercy" — a very common phrase in Greek Orthodox liturgies, and also used in Greek in the Roman
Catholic Mass.
Λάθε βιώσας
Lathe biōsas
"Live hidden", an Epicurean phrase. It synthesizes Epicurus' dislike for politics. In fact, they trouble men and don't
allow him to reach "inner peace" - which is the main goal for Epicureans. So Epicurus suggested that everybody should
live "Hidden" far cities, not even considering a political career. This idea will be heavily criticized by Cicero who, as a
stoic, had a completely different opinion about politics.
Μέτρον ἄριστον.
Métron áriston.
"Moderation is the best thing."
In occasions that neither too much nor too little is a good choice. For example when eating or celebrating.
The words (ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ) as they are inscribed on the marble of the modern era monument at Thermopylae.
Μολὼν λαβέ!
Molōn labe!
"Come take them!"
King Leonidas of Sparta, in response to King Xerxes of Persia's demand that the Greek army lay down their arms before
the battle of Thermopylae.
Νενικήκαμεν.
Nenikékamen.
"We have won."
The traditional story relates that the Athenian herald Pheidippides ran the 40 km (25 miles) from the battlefield near the
town of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) with the
word 'We have won') and collapsed and died on the spot because of exhaustion.
Ξύλινον τεῖχος
Xýlinon teîchos
"wooden defensive wall"
Literally and, especially, the "walls" of ships during the Persian Wars.
Οἶνοψ πόντος
Oinops pontos.
"Wine dark sea" — A common Homeric epithet of the sea, for which many articles have been written.
Οὖτις ἐμοὶ γ' ὄνομα
Outis emoi g' onoma.
"My name is Nobody". Odysseus to Polyphemus when asked what his name was. (Homer, Odyssey, ix, 366).
Παπαί, Μαρδόνιε, κοίους ἐπ' ἄνδρας ἤγαγες μαχησομένους ἡμέας, οἳ οὐ περὶ χρημάτων τὸν ἀγῶνα ποιεῦνται
ἀλλὰ περὶ ἀρετῆς.
Papai, Mardonie, koious ep' andras ēgages machēsomenous hēmeas hoi ou peri chrēmatōn ton agōna poieuntai alla
peri aretēs
"Good heavens! Mardonius, what kind of men are these against whom you have brought us to fight? Men who do not
compete for money, but for honour." — Spontaneous response of Tritantaechmes, a Persian general, while Xerxes was
interrogating some locals at Thermopylae. Xerxes asked why there were so few Greek fighters at Thermopylae. The
answer was "All the others are participating in the Olympic Games". And when asked "What is the prize for the
winner?", "An olive-wreath" came the answer.
Ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς
Rhododaktylos Ēōs
"Rosy-fingered dawn."
This phrase occurs frequently in the Homeric poems referring to Eos, the Titanic goddess of the dawn. Eos with "rosy
fingers" opened the gates of heaven so that Helios could ride his chariot across the sky every day.
Σπεῦδε βραδέως
Speude bradeōs.
"Hasten slowly" (cf. Latin festina lente), "less haste, more speed".
Σὺν Ἀθηνᾷ καὶ χεῖρα κίνει
Syn Athēnāi kai kheira kinei.
"Along with Athena, move also your hands", or "Goddess Athena supports you, but you yourself must act too." (Cf. the
English "God helps those who help themselves.")
Τὰ πάντα ῥεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν μένει.
Ta panta rhei kai ouden menei.
"Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus
Τὸ γὰρ ἡδύ, ἐὰν πολύ, οὐ τι γὲ ἡδύ.
To gar hēdy, ean poly, ou ti ge hēdy.
"A sweet thing tasted too often is no longer sweet."
Τὸ δὶς ἐξαμαρτεῖν οὐκ ἀνδρὸς σοφοῦ.
To dis examartein ouk andros sophou.
"To commit the same sin twice is not a sign of a wise man."
Φοβοῦ τοὺς Δαναοὺς καὶ δῶρα φέροντας
Φοβοῦ τοὺς Δαναοὺς καὶ δῶρα φέροντας
Phobou tous Danaous kai dōra pherontas.
"Beware of the Danaans (Greeks), even bearing gifts."
An expression to urge cautiousness when someone changes from hostile to friendly. Well known as a verse from the
Aeneid written by Virgil, reading (Quidquid id est) timeo Danaos et dona ferentes.
Χαλεπὰ τὰ καλά
Khalepa ta kala.
"The good/beautiful/fine/honorable things are difficult [to attain]." [cf Plato, Republic 4, 435c.]
Epitaph at the Thermopylae
Ὦ ξεῖν’, ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε
κείμεθα τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι.
Ō xein’, angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti tēde
keimetha tois keinōn rhēmasi peithomenoi.
"Stranger, tell the Spartans that here we lie, obedient to their laws." (Epigram, a single elegiac couplet by Simonides on
the dead of Thermopylae).