Democritus

"Melancholy men are the most witty; wit requires a keen observation of human folly."

"The smallest distance between two points is a straight path, just as the quickest way to virtue is direct action."

"It is better to be envied than pitied."

"The man who pursues pleasure without wisdom shall find himself enslaved."

"In the struggle for resources, it is mind, not muscle, that prevails."

"What comes by chance departs by chance; what comes by effort remains by effort."

"The laws of nature are written in the language of mathematics."

"A kingdom cannot stand unless it be united internally."

"The person of wisdom does not act from habit but from understanding."

"Truth is hidden in the depths, like a precious gem; one must dig deep to find it."

"The man who fears nothing fears death least, for he has already transcended fear."

"What we desire we believe to be true; what we fear we believe even more readily."

"In every act of kindness, there is profit both to the giver and the receiver."

"The pursuit of excessive pleasure leads to the pain of emptiness."

"Sight and hearing are deceptive; the intellect perceives the true nature of things."

"A man is not diminished by his mistakes, only by his refusal to learn from them."

"The void between atoms is as important as the atoms themselves."

"What is fitting for one person may be unfitting for another; context determines propriety."

"The man who can control his appetites is the greatest commander of all."

"Ambition without wisdom is like a ship without a rudder."

"The greatest discovery is that which leads to greater questions, not fewer."

"To live is to participate in the dance of the atoms."

"The man who practices virtue in solitude is virtuous indeed, for none observe him."

"What begins well must continue well to be considered truly good."

"The person who speaks too much reveals too little of wisdom."

"Moderation in eating and drinking is the foundation of health and peace."

"The foolish man expects others to be virtuous while he indulges himself."

"In the market of ideas, those with the sharpest minds profit most."

"The greatest prison is one constructed entirely within the mind."

"Generosity is not the giving away of abundance, but the sharing in scarcity."