100 Best Euripides Quotes From The Ancient Greek Tragedian

Euripides was best known as an Athenian playwright and poet of ancient Greece.

Euripides is acknowledged as the one to influence drama even in the modern days. His representation of the traditional and mythical heroes in the form of ordinary people is still followed to this day.

Historians have observed that Euripides’ work was too modern for his time with how he believed in developing emotional and realistic characters with realism as their core value as he was a lover of human nature. The character ‘Medea’ from his play ‘Medea’ is the perfect example of such character development. This realism was the reason why he wasn't as famous as his peers.

Euripides wrote approximately 90 plays over his career, unfortunately of which only 19 survived through manuscripts. Some of his best-known works are 'Medea', 'The Bacchae', and 'Hippolytus'. Euripides was known for taking new approaches to myths in order to question the values of the time, he would often do this through his plays.

For more related content take a look at Greek quotes and 'The Odyssey' quotes.

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Some of the best well-known quotes by Euripides work great as life lessons.

1. “In my opinion, the unjust man whose tongue is full of glozing rhetoric, merits the heaviest punishment; vaunting that he can with his tongue gloze over injustice, he dares to act wickedly, yet he is not over-wise.”

— Euripides.

2. “Tragedy isn’t getting something or failure to get it; it's losing something you already have. Waste not fresh tears over old griefs.”

— Euripides.

3. “Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish.”

— Euripides.

4. “No one is truly free, they are a slave to wealth, fortune, the law, or other people restraining them from acting according to their will.”

— Euripides.

5. “When a good man is hurt, all who would be called good must suffer with him.”

— Euripides.

6. “Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.”

— Euripides.

7. “Do not mistake the rule of force for true power. Men are not shaped by force.”

― Euripides, ‘The Bacchae’.

8. “Nothing has more strength than dire necessity.”

— Euripides, ‘Helen’

9. “For nothing is there more sweet unto an aged father than a daughter.”

— Euripides, ‘The Suppliants’

10. “We know the good, we apprehend it clearly, but we can't bring it to achievement.”

— Euripides, ‘Hippolytus’

11. “There is nothing like the sight of an old enemy down on his luck.”

— Euripides.

12. “Every man is like the company he is wont to keep.”

— Euripides.

13. “What greater sorrow than being forced to leave behind my native earth?”

― Euripides, ‘Electra’

14. “I loathe a friend whose gratitude grows old, a friend who takes his friend's prosperity but will not voyage with him in his grief.”

— Euripides.

15. “Oh, what a power is motherhood, possessing a potent spell. All women alike fight fiercely for a child.”

— Euripides.

16. “No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow.”

— Euripides.

17. “When one with honeyed words but evil mind Persuades the mob, great woes befall the state.”

— Euripides.

18. “Man’s most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe.”

— Euripides.

19. “The company of a just and righteous man is better than wealth and a rich estate.”

— Euripides, ‘Aegeus’.

Inspirational quotes and motivational quotes from Euripides to inspire you.

20. “Time will explain it all. He is a talker, and needs no questioning before he speaks.”

― Euripides, ‘The Aeolus Of Euripides’.

21. “Whoso neglects learning in his youth, loses the past and is dead for the future.”

― Euripides.

22. “The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man.”

― Euripides.

23. “To persevere, trusting in what hopes he has, is courage in a man.”

― Euripides.

24. “Human misery must somewhere have a stop; there is no wind that always blows a storm; great good fortune comes to failure in the end.”

― Euripides.

25. “Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.”

― Euripides.

26. “Danger gleams like sunshine to a brave man’s eyes.”

― Euripides, ‘Iphigenia in Tauris’.

27. “When good men die their goodness does not perish, but lives though they are gone. As for the bad, all that was theirs dies and is buried with them.”

― Euripides.

28. “Small aid is wealth for daily gladness; once a man be done with hunger, rich and poor are all as one.”

― Euripides, ‘Electra’.

29. “Sanity brings pain but madness is a vile thing.”

― Euripides, ‘Hippolytus’.

30. “There is in the worst of fortune the best of chances for a happy change.”

― Euripides, ‘Iphigenia in Tauris’.

31. “There is one thing alone that stands the brunt of life throughout its length: a quiet conscience.”

― Euripides, ‘Hippolytus’.

Wise quotes from Euripides about how wisdom comes first and foremost from humans.

32. “The wisest men follow their own direction and listen to no prophet guiding them. None but the fools believe in oracles, forsaking their own judgment.”

― Euripides, ‘Greek Tragedy’.

33. “Vengeance comes not slowly either upon you or any other wicked man, but steals silently and imperceptibly, placing its foot on the bad.”

― Euripides.

34. “We must take care of our minds because we cannot benefit from beauty when our brains are missing.”

― Euripides.

35. “Arm yourself, my heart: the thing that you must do is fearful, yet inevitable.”

― Euripides.

36. “Events will take their course, it is no good of being angry at them; he is happiest who wisely turns them to the best  account.”

― Euripides.

37. “You gave birth to your own death.”

― Euripides, ‘Electra’.

38. “Silver and gold are not the only coin; virtue too passes current all over the world.”

― Euripides.

39. “Vengeance comes not openly, either upon you or any wicked man, but steals silently and imperceptibly, placing its foot on the bad.”

― Euripides.

40. “I think it makes small difference to the dead, if they are buried in the tokens of luxury. All that is an empty glorification left for those who live.”

― Euripides, ‘The Trojan Women’.

41. “Only one thing, they say, competes in value with life, the possession of a heart blameless and good.”

― Euripides, ‘Hippolytus’.

42. “Some wisdom you must learn from one who’s wise.”

― Euripides.

43. “Ignorance of one’s misfortunes is clear gain.”

― Euripides.

44. “The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man.”

― Euripides.

45. “Youth is the best time to be rich; and the best time to be poor.”

― Euripides.

46. “In misfortune, which friend remains a friend?”

― Euripides.

Quotes about life and friendship that would be great for you to share with your friend!

47. “When good men die their goodness does not perish, But lives though they are gone. As for the bad, All that was theirs dies and is buried with them.”

― Euripides, ‘Temenidæ’.

48. “Life has no blessing like a prudent friend.”

― Euripides.

49. “Lucky that man whose children make his happiness in life and not his grief, the anguished disappointment of his hopes.”

― Euripides.

50. “Let them that are happy talk of piety; he that would work his adversary woe must take no account of laws.”

― Euripides, ‘Ion’

51. “I wish you joy. To spend life’s fleeting days mid joy that never meets an evil hour is to be blessed beyond compare.”

― Euripides, ‘Electra’.

52. “Happy the man who from the sea escapes the storm and finds harbor.”

― Euripides, ‘The Bacchae’.

53. “There is just one life for each of us: our own.”

― Euripides.

54. “Who dares not speak his free thought is a slave.”

― Euripides, ‘The Phoenician Women’.

55. “The mob gets out of hand, runs wild, worse than raging fire, while the man who stands apart is called a coward.”

― Euripides.

56. “When a wise man chooses a sane basis for his arguments, it is no great task to speak well.”

― Euripides.

57. “Of all the evils that infest a state, a tyrant is the greatest; his sole will commands the laws, and lords it over them.”

― Euripides.

58. “One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives.”

― Euripides.

Best love and relationship quotes from Euripides. Go ahead and use the Euripides quote that you find perfect to express your feelings to your lover!

59. “Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.”

― Euripides.

60. “My love for you was greater than my wisdom.”

― Euripides.  

61. “Oh, if I had Orpheus’ voice and poetry with which to move the Dark Maid and her Lord, I'd call you back, dear love, from the world below.”

― Euripides, ‘Alcestis’.

62. “He is not a lover who does not love forever.”

― Euripides.

63. “Stronger than lover’s love is lover’s hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make.”

― Euripides.

64. “Down on your knees, and thank heaven, fasting, for the love of a good man.”

― Euripides.

Great quotes about God and religion from Euripides.

65. “I think, Some shrewd man first, a man in judgment wise, Found for mortals the fear of gods, Thereby to frighten the wicked should they Even act or speak or scheme in secret.”

― Euripides, ‘Sisyphus’.

66. “Try first thyself, and after call in God, for to the worker God himself lends aid.”

― Euripides.

67. “God in heaven has dominion over so many events. He can frustrate what seems inevitable, and bring to pass the thing that you least expect.”

― Euripides.

68. “We must believe in the gods no longer if injustice is to prevail over justice.”

― Euripides.

69. “The divine power moves with difficulty, but at the same time surely.”

― Euripides.

70. “God helps him who strives hard.”

― Euripides.

71. “Let my heart be wise. It is the gods’ best gift.”

― Euripides.

72. “Gods should not resemble men in their anger!”

― Euripides, ‘The Bacchae’.

73. “I sacrifice to no god save myself — And to my belly, greatest of deities...”

― Euripides, ‘The Cyclops’.

Important 'Medea' quotes that help you gain a little knowledge about the play.

74. “The gifts of a bad man bring no good with them.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

75. “Since I am wise, some people envy me, some think I'm idle, some the opposite, and some feel threatened. Yet I'm not all that wise.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

76. “Children are sweet as the buds in spring, but I've noticed that those who have them have nothing but trouble all their lives.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

77. “Of all creatures that can feel and think, we women are the worst treated things alive.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

78. “Of troubles, none is greater than to be robbed of one’s native land.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

79. “Do not grieve so much for a husband lost that it wastes away your life.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

80. “We must not think too much: people go mad if they think too much.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

81. “It is the thoughts of men that are deceitful, Their pledges that are loose.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

82. “Woman of stone, heart of iron, disconsolate woman, ready to kill, the seed of your hands with the hand that tilled.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

83. “Because I have a little knowledge, some are filled with jealousy, others think me secretive, and crazy.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

84. “Love, did you say? It is a mighty curse.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

85. “I had rather stand my ground three times among the shields than face a childbirth once.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

86. “I’m ... dangerous/to enemies, but well disposed to friends.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

87. “There is no justice in the judgments that man makes: Before they know a man’s inner self, they hate at sight, though they’ve never been wronged.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

88. “My husband has turned out to be the most despicable of men. Of all the creatures that have life and reason we women have the worst lot.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

89. “You sound harmless, but in your heart I'm terrified you're plotting some evil. I trust you know even less than before.”

— Creon, ‘Medea’.

90. “…but we are women too: We may not have the means to achieve nobility; Our cleverness lies in crafting evil.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

91. “Zeus, you granted men sure signs to tell when gold is counterfeit. But when we need to tell which men are false, why do our bodies bear no stamp to show our worth?”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

92. “She came into the world fierce and stubborn and then she learned to hate.”

― Euripides, Medea

93. “Who then will dare to say I’m weak or timid? No, they’ll say I’m loyal as a friend, ruthless as a foe, so much like a hero destined for glory.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

Quotes from ‘Medea’ about the thirst for revenge and the effect it has on humans.

94. “Hate is a bottomless cup; I will pour and pour.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

95. “Wrath brings mortal men their gravest hurt.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

96. “The fiercest anger of all, the most incurable, is that which rages in the place of dearest love.”

— Euripides, ‘Medea’.

97. “Oh, what misery!…Cursed sons, and a mother for cursing! Death take you all – you and your father …”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

98. “We mortals must bear our bad times patiently.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

99. “To stay this one day, in which three of my enemies I’ll send to their death…”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

100. “The direct way is best, the one at which I am most skilled: I’ll poison them.”

— Medea, ‘Medea’.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Euripides quotes then why not take a look at ancient quotes or 'Iliad' quotes.

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