Frasi di Demócrito

“Tutto ciò che esiste nell'universo è frutto del caso e della necessità.”

“Molta riflessione e non molta conoscenza, ecco ciò a cui occorre tendere.”

Frammenti

“L'orgoglio della gioventù sta nella forza e nella bellezza, l'orgoglio della tarda età sta nella discrezione.”

“Quanto è più saggio dell'uomo l'animale, che conosce la misura del suo bisogno, mentre l'uomo la ignora.”

“Gli stolti desiderano essere longevi e non godono della longevità.”

libro Frammenti

“Il coito è un lieve attacco di apoplessia.”

libro Frammenti

“Degli sciocchi è maestro non il discorso, ma la sventura.”

“Quando la conoscenza oscura non può piú spingersi ad oggetto piú piccolo né col vedere né coll'udire né coll'odorato né col gusto né con la sensazione del tatto, ma si deve indirizzar la ricerca a ciò che è ancor piú sottile.”

“Fama e ricchezze senza mente non sono beni utili.”

Frammenti

“Se si passa la misura, anche la cosa più gradevole ti diventa sommamente sgradevole.”

frammento 77
Frammenti

“Immoderate desire is the mark of a child, not a man.”

frammento 233
Frammenti

Demócrito: Frasi in inglese

“The brave man is not only he who overcomes the enemy, but he who is stronger than pleasures. Some men are masters of cities, but are enslaved to women.”

Freeman (1948), p. 152
Variante: It is childish, not manly, to have immoderate desires.

“[Democritus says:] By convention sweet is sweet, by convention bitter is bitter, by convention hot is hot, by convention cold is cold, by convention color is color. But in reality there are atoms and the void. That is, the objects of sense are supposed to be real and it is customary to regard them as such, but in truth they are not. Only the atoms and the void are real.”

Freeman (1948), p. 163
Variante: The brave man is he who overcomes not only his enemies but his pleasures. There are some men who are masters of cities but slaves to women.

“He who does wrong is more unhappy than he who suffers wrong.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Fragments

“Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

“Men have fashioned an image of Chance as an excuse for their own stupidity. For Chance rarely conflicts with intelligence, and most things in life can be set in order by an intelligent sharpsightedness.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

“There are many who know many things, yet are lacking in wisdom.”

Freeman (1948), p. 155

“In a shared fish, there are no bones.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

“If any one hearken with understanding to these sayings of mine many a deed worthy of a good man shall he perform and many a foolish deed be spared.”

Freeman (1948), p. 157

“He who intends to enjoy life should not be busy about many things, and in what he does should not undertake what exceeds his natural capacity. On the contrary, he should have himself so in hand that even when fortune comes his way, and is apparently ready to lead him on to higher things, he should put her aside and not o'erreach his powers. For a being of moderate size is safer than one that bulks too big.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

“Beautiful objects are wrought by study through effort, but ugly things are reaped automatically without toil.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Fragments

“No one deserves to live who has not at least one good-man-and-true for a friend.”

Freeman (1948), p. 161
Variante: The good things of life are produced by learning with hard work; the bad are reaped of their own accord, without hard work.

“Good breeding in cattle depends on physical health, but in men on a well-formed character.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

“A sensible man takes pleasure in what he has instead of pining for what he has not.”

Freeman (1948), p. 151
Durant (1939), Ch. XVI, §II, p. 354; citing C. Bakewell, Sourcebook in Ancient Philosophy, New York, 1909, "Fragment 57"
Variante: Strength of body is nobility only in beasts of burden, strength of character is nobility in man.
Variante: In cattle excellence is displayed in strength of body; but in men it lies in strength of character.

“The friendship of one wise man is better than the friendship of a host of fools.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus

“The right-minded man, ever inclined to righteous and lawful deeds, is joyous day and night, and strong, and free from care. But if a man take no heed of the right, and leave undone the things he ought to do, then will the recollection of no one of all his transgressions bring him any joy, but only anxiety and self-reproaching.”

Source Book in Ancient Philosophy (1907), The Golden Sayings of Democritus