Aeschylus
Aeschylus (525 BC-456 BC) was a Greek dramatist, known as the father of the Greek tragedy. He also distinguished himself as a soldier both at Marathon and Salamis before he figured as a poet, especially a dramatic poet, who became founder of the Greek Tragic Drama. It is said that this Athenian dramatist wrote some seventy dramas, of which only seven are extant - the "Suppliants," the "Persæ," the "Seven against Thebes," the "Prometheus Bound," the "Agamemnon," the "Choephori," the Persians, and the "Eumenides". The tragedies Agamemnon, Choephoroe and Eumenides are part of his famous trilogy the Oresteia (458 BC) he is best known for. He was born at Eleusis and died in Sicily.Wisdom & Quotes
- Ask the gods nothing excessive.
- The Suppliant Women.
- There is a limit to the best of health: disease is always a near neighbour.
-Agamemnon
- What is there more kindly than the feelings between host and guest?
- The Libation Bearers.
- When a match has equal partners, then I fear not.
- Prometheus Bound.
- Memory is the mother of all wisdom.
- Prometheus Bound
- There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief.
- Old Men are always young enough to learn, with profit.
- Agamemnon
- To learn is to be young, however old.
- Who except the gods can live time through forever without any pain?
-Prometheus Bound.
- Time, as it grows old, teaches all things.
- Prometheus Bound
- I gave them hope, and so turned away their eyes from death”
- Prometheus Bound
- Many are the troubles of mankind.
- The suppliant Maidens.
- Time brings all things to pass.
- The Libation Bearers.
- Death is preferable - it is a milder fate than tyranny.
- Agamemnon
- For somehow this is tyranny's disease, to trust no friends.
- Prometheus Bound
- When one is wise, it's wisest to seem foolish.
- Prometheus Bound
- I take my cue from deeds, not words.”
- Prometheus Bound
- For obstinacy standing alone is the weakest of all things in one whose mind is not possessed by wisdom.
- Prometheus Bound
- Wisdom comes only through Suffering.
- Agamemnon
- For many men value appearances more than reality—thus they violate what’s right. Everyone’s prepared to sigh over some suffering man, though no sorrow really eats their hearts, or they can pretend to join another person’s happiness forcing their faces into smiling masks. But a good man discerns true character— he’s not fooled by eyes feigning loyalty, favouring him with watered-down respect.
- Agamemnon
- Nothing forces us to know
What we do not want to know
Except pain
- The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides
- You wish to be called righteous rather than act right.
- The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides
- There is advantage in the wisdom won from pain.
- The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides
- Tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.
- It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.
- In war, truth is the first casualty.
- Suffering brings experience.
- Call no man happy till he is dead.
- It is easy when we are in prosperity to give advice to the afflicted.
- We spoil ourselves with scruples long as things go well.
- The Oresteia
- In every enterprise is no greater evil than bad companionship.
- The Seven Against Thebes
- Give me an answer which is plain to understand.
- Eumenides
- A curse burns bright on crime.
- Agamemnon
- Nay, peace, O best-belovèd! Peace! And let us work no evil more. Surely the reaping of the past is a full harvest, and not good, And wounds enough are everywhere.— Let us not stain ourselves with blood.
- Agamemnon
Pindar