70 famous phrases of Democritus (Greek philosopher)

Known as "the laughing philosopher" For giving great importance to joy and for taking things in a positive spirit, Democritus of Abdera was considered one of the greatest philosophers of his era. And it is that he not only concentrated on political or social aspects, but also investigated in depth about various issues that surrounded the world. Standing out for having been the founder of atomistic thought, which later would earn him the title of "the father of modern science."

Without a doubt, a character worth admiring and remembering. Therefore, in this article we have compiled the best quotes of his authorship to enjoy and teach us a little more about the mysteries of life.

• We recommend you read: "The 90 best phrases of Socrates"

Great phrases, quotes and reflections of Democritus

Reflections and thoughts that will give us a more than interesting point of view of the world and from which we can draw our own conclusions.

1. I'd rather find the explanation for something than have the royalty of the Persians come my way.

The philosopher shows us here that he preferred to stay on the path of philosophy for love of knowledge than to generate wealth.

2. All is lost when the bad serve as an example and the good as a mockery.

A sad reality that continues to this day.

3. Even if you are alone, you must not say or do anything bad. Learn to be more ashamed of yourself than others.

We don't need to be exposed to do things right. We should do it because we feel good and we want to do it.

4. If the measure is exceeded, the most pleasant becomes the most unpleasant.

Everything in excess is harmful.

5. It is better to correct your own mistakes than to correct those of others.

The only thing we can control is our actions.

6. A great difference between a sage and a fool is that the former only wants what he can get; the second wishes impossibilities.

He sets your goals high, but that they are possible to achieve with your tools.

7. Many who commit the most shameful actions argue for the best reasons.

Excuses only serve as camouflage for true intentions.

8. Music is the youngest of the arts, because it does not respond to a need, but arises from what was already superfluous.

Music shows our most basic needs.

9. He who postpones everything will not leave anything finished or perfect.

Procrastination is an endless vicious cycle.

10. Life without parties is like a long road without inns.

You have to enjoy every moment.

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11. Life is a transit; the world is a show hall; the man enters it, looks and leaves.

Life only goes in one direction: forward. And for that very reason, it comes to an irremediable end.

12. You must be truthful, not talkative.

It is better to be precise and clear so that there are no misunderstandings.

13. The hope of a bad profit is the beginning of the loss.

If you see that something does not arise or has no future, it is better to nip it in the bud.

14. One who is entirely dominated by wealth could never be righteous.

Rich people will always look out for their own financial interests, so that they never lose out.

15. Greatness of soul is calmly coping with error.

Mistakes are lessons that we should not take personally.

16. Can the one who loves nobody be loved by any chance?

It is difficult to love without being reciprocated.

17. The whole earth is within the reach of the sage, since the homeland of an elevated soul is the universe.

Don't cling to an ideology or your own flag. Explore and meet different cultures. So you will learn everything about the world.

18. An object does not result from the plurality of atoms, but from the combination of atoms each object becomes.

It is the parts that make a whole.

19. Nature is self-sufficient; For this reason, he conquers with the least and with what is certain, the excesses of hope.

Nature is wise, knowing when to give more and when enough is enough.

20. Happiness does not reside in possessions, nor in gold, happiness resides in the soul.

You will never find true happiness through material things, because that happiness is fleeting and you will always want more.

21. Fighting desire is hard, but overcoming it is proper to a sensible man.

We cannot get everything we want and we must learn to accept that fact in order to live with peace of mind.

22. The true and deep knowledge is that of the atoms and the void, since they are the ones that generate appearances, what we perceive, the superficial.

We are all made of atoms.

23. Do not be ashamed to submit to the laws and to the one who knows more than you.

We must never feel less for being in front of someone who knows more than we do, but we must take advantage of their teachings.

24. The truth is buried very deeply. We know nothing true.

The truth is infinite and therefore unattainable.

25. Voluntary jobs prepare to more easily bear the involuntary ones.

Volunteer work increases motivations and gratitude.

26. Everywhere man blames nature and destiny, but his destiny is but the echo of his character and his passion, his mistakes and his weaknesses.

Our actions and choices are what form the path to our destiny.

27. Virtue is not not making mistakes with others, but not wanting to make mistakes with others

We all make mistakes, but the important thing is to know how we can fix them.

28. Whoever gets his son-in-law right finds a son; he who fails also loses a daughter.

That is why it is important to maintain a good relationship with the children's partners.

29. There are men who work as if they were going to live forever.

Life is limited and therefore you do not have to obsess over work.

30. What a poet writes with enthusiasm and divine inspiration is very good. The first reference to the madness or divine inspiration of the poets.

Speaking of the peculiar character of poets who find great inspirations where no one else can.

31. Wealth does not consist so much in the possession of goods as in the use that is made of them.

It is useless if you have mountains of money if you do not use them for a greater good.

32. Raising children is uncertain; Success is achieved only after a lifetime of battles and worries.

Parenting, excellent as it may be, is not always a guarantee of a promising future for children.

33. The friendship of a wise man is better than that of all fools.

Surround yourself with friends who nurture you, not people who hold you back.

34. Poverty in a democracy is preferable to so-called well-being at the hands of the powerful, just as freedom is preferable to slavery.

There is no freedom in submission.

35. Man is not unhappy as long as he is not unjust.

Happiness is tied to good deeds.

36. Nature and teaching are similar. And it is that teaching remodels man and, by remodeling him, he acts like nature.

We must take advantage of every lesson that we are given in order to be better people.

37. The desire for something else spoils what you have.

It is okay to have ambitions, but not to despise what you have now.

38. The brave man is the one who overcomes not only his enemies but also his pleasures.

Overcoming greed is the greatest achievement that can exist.

39. Whoever acts unjustly is more miserable than the victim of his injustice.

Whoever carries out an injustice has a rotten soul.

40. The pride of youth is in strength and beauty, the pride of old age is in discretion.

As we grow older, our ways of expressing ourselves change.

41. The true beauty and the most precious gala of the woman is the little talk.

Showing that the greatest attraction of women is silence. Fortunately, times have changed.

42. In matters of virtue, it is necessary to strive by deeds and actions, not by words.

Actions speak louder than our promises.

43. Everything that exists is the result of chance and necessity.

Things have an origin of necessity.

44. The good things in life come from learning through hard work; the bad ones are reaped by themselves, without hard work.

A great reality. Unfortunately, bad things are born effortlessly.

45. Discreet is he who does not grieve for what he does not have, but is happy for what he has.

Whoever is not satisfied with the things that he has or has achieved cannot really appreciate anything.

46. That we do not understand how it is or how it is not in reality has been demonstrated in multiple ways.

There are mysteries that have been solved, but many remain unanswered.

47. Young people are like plants: the first fruits show what we can expect for the future.

The achievements of young people are demonstrated over the years.

48. Medicine heals the diseases of the body, but wisdom frees the soul from sufferings.

Knowledge is a great relief to our mind as it frees us from ignorance.

49. The word is a shadow of the fact.

Words have no value unless accompanied by a valid action.

50. We know nothing about the truth; the truth lies in a well.

The absolute truth is unknown, because it is always on the move.

51. My enemy is not the man who hurts me, but the man who wants to hurt me.

Someone who hurts you as the result of a consequence is not the same as someone who wants to hurt you in order to hurt you.

52. There are men who know nothing, but are aware of the evil of their way of life.

There are people who have no remorse of conscience.

53. Although it will be evident that knowing what each thing is in reality is impossible.

In reality we never end up knowing the things of the world, because studies with new discoveries always arise.

54. It is arrogance to talk about everything and not want to hear anything.

In order to have a space to speak, it is necessary to know how to listen.

55. Living is not worth living for those who do not even have a good friend.

Being alone does not imply having few friends, but having such a defiant attitude that it prevents you from making friends.

56. You can distinguish true-sounding man from false-sounding man, not only by his actions, but also by his wishes.

There are people who cannot hide their falsehood, because they are perceived through their words.

57. Men, in their flight from death, are chasing her.

Many fear death, unaware that they can die alive by slowing down their advances.

58. It does not seem convenient to have children, because I notice in the fact of having multiple children and great risks and multiple dislikes, plus few satisfactions and even these small and weak.

A very strong opinion about having children. And the reality is that bringing a life into the world is a decision that should not be taken lightly.

59. Men ask the gods for health in their prayers, but they do not realize that they have control over it in themselves and in which, as they do the opposite of what is due by their debauchery, they become traitors to their health by their own appetites.

We have the same power over our health that we have over our actions.

60. Fools grow wise in misery.

Only in difficult times do irrational people come to their senses.

61. Men have made an idol of luck as an excuse for their own thoughtlessness.

Our luck is the result of what we do and do not do.

62. Do not yearn to know everything, lest you become ignorant of everything.

The study is not enough to know. You have to put everything into practice and interact with the people around you.

63. Tritogeny: wisdom; and there are three consequences that derive from having good judgment: calculate well, speak well and act properly.

That is why we must aim to obtain all the wisdom that we can.

64. Parenting is a slippery business; you get a success full of disputes and sleeplessness or a failure that cannot be overcome by any other pain.

For the philosopher, having children is something that brings more difficulties than benefits.

65. To persuade, words are many times more powerful than gold.

The word has more weight and value than any fortune.

66. There are some men who are masters of cities but slaves of women.

Many men can fall very hard for women. Even if they are not the right ones.

67. Those who commit acts worthy of exile or imprisonment, or are deserving of punishment should be condemned, and not absorbed.

Crimes must always be punished.

68. For those who have a well-ordered way of being, life is also orderly.

There is something therapeutic in the order, as it allows the horizon to be clearer.

69. The wretched who agree to office, the more unworthy they are when they reach them, the more idle they become and the more they are filled with foolishness and conceit.

People must be in the positions they are prepared to assume and lead properly.

70. Don't trust all men, but trust men of courage; the first course is silly, the second is a mark of caution.

It's okay not to trust everyone, only those who show you their genuine intentions.