Herodotus, often called the “Father of History,” was among the earliest historians whose work provides valuable insights into ancient civilizations, battles, and human nature.
His quotes reflect his curiosity about the world, the power dynamics of empires, and the intricate interplay of fate, leadership, and ethics.
Through his thorough observations and narratives, Herodotus offers reflections on history, culture, and the lessons that can be gotten from the past.
Top Herodotus Quotes
Herodotus, often hailed as the Father of History, offers a treasure trove of wisdom. His insights touch on the complexities of human nature and the profound truths of existence:
“Of all possessions a friend is the most precious.” – Herodotus
“Great things are won by great dangers.” – Herodotus
“The worst pain a man can suffer is to have insight into much and power over nothing.” – Herodotus
“In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons.” – Herodotus
“It is better to be envied than pitied.” – Herodotus
“Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.” – Herodotus
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.” – Herodotus
“Call no man happy until he is dead.” – Herodotus
“All of life is action and passion, and not to be involved in the actions and passions of your time is to risk having not really lived at all.” – Herodotus
“The most hateful human misfortune is for a wise man to have no influence.” – Herodotus
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Herodotus Quotes on History and Legacy
Herodotus’s reflections on history and legacy emphasize the enduring impact of our past actions and the narratives we leave behind:
“History is a kind of introduction to more ancient times.” – Herodotus
“The destiny of man is in his own soul.” – Herodotus
“What happens once will never happen again. But what happens twice will surely happen a third time.” – Herodotus
“The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.” – Herodotus
“Time is a violent torrent; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place.” – Herodotus
“Men trust their ears less than their eyes.” – Herodotus
“For it is the unexpected that happens more frequently than the expected.” – Herodotus
“The gods love to punish whatever is greater than the rest.” – Herodotus
“Haste in every business brings failures.” – Herodotus
“Force has no place where there is need of skill.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on War and Conflict
Herodotus, often recognized for his deep insights into the nature of conflict, provides a timeless perspective on war and its profound effects on humanity. Here are some of his most poignant thoughts:
“In peace, sons bury their fathers; in war, fathers bury their sons.” – Herodotus
“Great things are won by great dangers.” – Herodotus
“The worst pain a man can suffer is to have insight into much and power over nothing.” – Herodotus
“Nobody is mad enough to choose war whilst there is peace.” – Herodotus
“Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.” – Herodotus
“It is better to be envied than pitied.” – Herodotus
“Men trust their ears less than their eyes.” – Herodotus
“The most hateful human misfortune is for a wise man to have no influence.” – Herodotus
“Force has no place where there is need of skill.” – Herodotus
“It is sound planning that invariably earns us the outcome we want; without it, even the gods are unlikely to look with favour on our designs.” – Herodotus
These quotes reflect Herodotus’s view of war as a disruption of the natural order, underscoring the unpredictable and often tragic outcomes of conflict
Herodotus Quotes on Human Nature
Herodotus also shared his observations on human nature, drawing from his extensive travels and studies of different cultures:
“Of all possessions a friend is the most precious.” – Herodotus
“The destiny of man is in his own soul.” – Herodotus
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.” – Herodotus
“All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.” – Herodotus
“A man calumniated is doubly injured — first by him who utters the calumny, and then by him who believes it.” – Herodotus
“He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold.” – Herodotus
“Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.” – Herodotus
“Far better it is to have a stout heart always and suffer one’s share of evils, than to be ever fearing what may happen.” – Herodotus
“The worst part a man can suffer is to have insight into much and power over nothing.” – Herodotus
“Let there be nothing untried; for nothing happens by itself, but men obtain all things by trying.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on Fate and Destiny
“The destiny of man is in his own soul.” – Herodotus
“Call no man happy until he is dead.” – Herodotus
“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little. Do what you can.” – Herodotus
“He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.” – Herodotus
“Better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand.” – Herodotus
“It is better to have one friend of great value than many friends of little value.” – Herodotus
“Force has no place where there is need of skill.” – Herodotus
“Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all.” – Herodotus
“Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.” – Herodotus
“Much learning does not teach understanding.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on Leadership and Power
“Great things are won by great risks.” – Herodotus
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” – Herodotus
“Men trust their ears less than their eyes.” – Herodotus
“No one is so foolish as to prefer war to peace, in which, instead of sons burying their fathers, fathers bury their sons.” – Herodotus
“The most hateful misfortune for a wise man is to have no influence.” – Herodotus
“The worst pain a man can suffer: to have insight into much and power over nothing.” – Herodotus
“Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.” – Herodotus
“Small things show a small mind, but whoever is capable of comprehending all that is known will be too fond of the truth to do lesser or meaner things.” – Herodotus
“A multitude of rulers is not a good thing. Let there be one ruler, one king.” – Herodotus
“Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on Freedom and Tyranny
“Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.” – Herodotus
“No one is so foolish as to prefer war to peace, in which, instead of sons burying their fathers, fathers bury their sons.” – Herodotus
“The worst pain a man can suffer: to have insight into much and power over nothing.” – Herodotus
“Of all men’s miseries, the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.” – Herodotus
“A multitude of rulers is not a good thing. Let there be one ruler, one king.” – Herodotus
“It is better to be envied than pitied.” – Herodotus
“Men trust their ears less than their eyes.” – Herodotus
“Force has no place where there is need of skill.” – Herodotus
“Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all.” – Herodotus
“The most hateful misfortune for a wise man is to have no influence.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on Culture and Civilization
“Soft lands breed soft men.” – Herodotus
“Egypt is the gift of the Nile.” – Herodotus
“Custom is king of all.” – Herodotus
“The destiny of man is in his own soul.” – Herodotus
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” – Herodotus
“All of life is action and passion, and not to be involved in the actions and passions of your time is to risk having not really lived at all.” – Herodotus
“Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.” – Herodotus
“No one is so foolish as to prefer war to peace.” – Herodotus
“In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons.” – Herodotus
“Men’s fortunes are on a wheel, which in its turning suffers not the same man to prosper for ever.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on Curiosity and Knowledge
“The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.” – Herodotus
“It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half the evils we anticipate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen.” – Herodotus
“Let there be nothing untried; for nothing happens by itself, but men obtain all things by trying.” – Herodotus
“Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.” – Herodotus
“The worst pain a man can have is to know much and be impotent to act.” – Herodotus
“Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.” – Herodotus
“Men trust their ears less than their eyes.” – Herodotus
“Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.” – Herodotus
“The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself.” – Herodotus
“It is clear that not in one thing alone, but in many ways equality and freedom of speech are a good thing.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on Religion and the Divine
“The gods love to punish whatever is greater than the rest.” – Herodotus
“Do you see how the god always hurls his bolts at the greatest houses and the tallest trees. For he is wont to thwart whatever is greater than the rest.” – Herodotus
“He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.” – Herodotus
“Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back.” – Herodotus
“Civil strife is as much a greater evil than a concerted war effort as war itself is worse than peace.” – Herodotus
“Force has no place where there is need of skill.” – Herodotus
“The hero and coward both feel the same fear, it is how they react that separates them.” – Herodotus
“One should always look to the end of everything, how it will finally come out. For the god has shown blessedness to many only to overturn them utterly in the end.” – Herodotus
“Men’s fortunes are on a wheel, which in its turning suffers not the same man to prosper for ever.” – Herodotus
“A man’s best possession is a sympathetic wife.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on Justice and Morality
“It is the gods’ custom to bring low all things of surpassing greatness.” – Herodotus
“In peace sons bury fathers, but war violates the order of nature, and fathers bury sons.” – Herodotus
“All of life is action and passion, and not to be involved in the actions and passions of your time is to risk having not really lived at all.” – Herodotus
“The most hateful human misfortune is for a wise man to have no influence.” – Herodotus
“Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.” – Herodotus
“Great things are won by great dangers.” – Herodotus
“The worst pain a man can have is to know much and be impotent to act.” – Herodotus
“Far better it is to have a stout heart always and suffer one’s share of evils, than to be ever fearing what may happen.” – Herodotus
“Let there be nothing untried; for nothing happens by itself, but men obtain all things by trying.” – Herodotus
“He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold.” – Herodotus
Herodotus Quotes on Change and Impermanence
“I know that human happiness never remains long in the same place.” – Herodotus
“Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.” – Herodotus
“Call no man happy until he is dead.” – Herodotus
“It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half the evils we anticipate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen.” – Herodotus
“Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back.” – Herodotus
“To think well and to consent to obey someone giving good advice are the same thing.” – Herodotus
“When a woman removes her garment, she also removes the respect that is hers.” – Herodotus
“Of all possessions a friend is the most precious.” – Herodotus
“Illness strikes men when they are exposed to change.” – Herodotus
“The gods love to punish whatever is greater than the rest.” – Herodotus
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Final Thoughts
Herodotus’ quotes capture the nature of history as not just a record of events; they reveal profound insights into human nature, power, and the effect of choices on the course of civilizations.
His reflections encourage you to appreciate the richness of various cultures, understand the complexities of leadership, and ponder on the forces of fate and justice in shaping history.
As you reflect on his words, you are reminded that the lessons from the past can be applicable in navigating the present and future.