Sophocles

"The greatest victory is that which is won over oneself."

"Nature teaches the greatest lessons to those willing to listen."

"There is beauty even in sorrow when faced with dignity and grace."

"The art of living well is knowing when to speak and when to remain silent."

"A good reputation is a monument that outlives the man who builds it."

"The paths of the virtuous are difficult, but they lead to lasting fulfillment."

"Knowledge without the capacity to act is merely idle speculation."

"The hero is not he who never falls, but he who rises each time he falls."

"To understand justice, one must first understand mercy."

"The greatest gift a father can give his children is his own integrity."

"A man who serves only himself will find himself alone when he needs help most."

"The pursuit of pleasure without wisdom leads to the deepest pain."

"True strength is shown not in never being moved, but in remaining unmoved by trivial matters."

"A society that forgets its history is doomed to repeat its greatest mistakes."

"The most just ruler is not he who rules with the hardest hand, but with the wisest heart."

"Creativity springs from the mind of one who is free from fear and doubt."

"The imagination of man is the seed from which all his works grow."

"A man may lose his wealth, his health, and his youth, but if he retains his honor, he has lost nothing of value."

"We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."

"The dead do not suffer; they have found peace beyond the reach of mortal cares."

"To be pitied is sometimes the greatest honor, for it means others see your pain."

"The wise man plants trees in whose shade he will never sit."

"A man's true character is revealed not by his words but by his deeds when no one is watching."

"The sweetest victory is that which comes through overcoming great adversity."

"Those who mock the gods mock their own future misfortune."

"A life lived in isolation is not a life but a slow death of the spirit."

"The greatest education comes not from books but from the observation of life."

"A man may be born, but in order to be born he must first die."

"What is unbearable today becomes bearable through time and acceptance."

"The pursuit of truth is the noblest of all human endeavors."