Best Said Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings Page 25

“I was once being interviewed by Barbara Walters. In between two of the segments she asked me: "But what would you do if the doctor gave you only six months to live?" I said, "Type faster." This was widely quoted, but the "six months" was changed to "six minutes," which bothered me. It's "six months."”

Ifs Said Two Minutes Changed Type Months Six Doctors Faster Six Months Bothered Barbara

Author:Isaac Asimov

“He who first called money the sinews of the state seems to have said this with special reference to war.”

Firsts Said War States Seems Special

Author:Plutarch

“When Darius offered him ten thousand talents, and to divide Asia equally with him, "I would accept it," said Parmenio, "were I Alexander." "And so truly would I," said Alexander, "if I were Parmenio." But he answered Darius that the earth could not bear two suns, nor Asia two kings.”

Ifs Said Two Earth Accepting Sun Talent Bears Kings Thousand Ten Divides Asia Darius

Book:Essays

Source: Essays

“To Harmodius, descended from the ancient Harmodius, when he reviled Iphicrates [a shoemaker's son] for his mean birth, "My nobility," said he, "begins in me, but yours ends in you.”

Mean Said Ends Son Birth Ancient Nobility

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Plutarch (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Plutarch (Illustrated)

“Once when Phocion had delivered an opinion which pleased the people, he turned to his friend and said, "Have I not unawares spoken some mischievous thing or other?"”

People Said Opinion Mischievous

Author:Plutarch

“Demosthenes told Phocion, "The Athenians will kill you some day when they once are in a rage." "And you," said he, "if they are once in their senses."”

Ifs Said Rage Senses Athenians

Author:Plutarch

“Pittacus said, "Every one of you hath his particular plague, and my wife is mine; and he is very happy who hath this only".”

Said Wife Mines Particular My Wife Very Happy Plague

Author:Plutarch

“When Philip had news brought him of divers and eminent successes in one day, "O Fortune!" said he, "for all these so great kindnesses do me some small mischief.”

Said Kindness One Day News Fortune Mischief Philip

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“Thrasyllus the Cynic begged a drachm of Antigonus. "That," said he, "is too little for a king to give." "Why, then," said the other, "give me a talent." "And that," said he, "is too much for a Cynic (or, for a dog) to receive."”

Giving Littles Said Too Much Talent Dog Kings Give Me Cynic

Author:Plutarch

“Antagoras the poet was boiling a conger, and Antigonus, coming behind him as he was stirring his skillet, said, "Do you think, Antagoras, that Homer boiled congers when he wrote the deeds of Agamemnon?" Antagoras replied, "Do you think, O king, that Agamemnon, when he did such exploits, was a peeping in his army to see who boiled congers?”

Thinking Said Behinds Poet Kings Army Deeds Exploits Stirring Boiling Peeping Agamemnon

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“Lycurgus the Lacedæmonian brought long hair into fashion among his countrymen, saying that it rendered those that were handsome more beautiful, and those that were deformed more terrible. To one that advised him to set up a democracy in Sparta, "Pray," said Lycurgus, "do you first set up a democracy in your own house."”

Firsts Long Said Beautiful House Democracy Fashion Hair Praying Terrible Handsome Countrymen Long Hair Sparta

Author:Plutarch

“King Agis said, "The Lacedæmonians are not wont to ask how many, but where the enemy are."”

Said Asks Enemy Kings

Author:Plutarch

“Cicero said loud-bawling orators were driven by their weakness to noise, as lame men to take horse.”

Men Said Weakness Horse Driven Noise Loud Lame Orators

Author:Plutarch

“After the battle in Pharsalia, when Pompey was fled, one Nonius said they had seven eagles left still, and advised to try what they would do. "Your advice," said Cicero, "were good if we were to fight jackdaws.”

Ifs Trying Said Stills Fighting Left Advice Battle Seven Eagles Pompey

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“Lysander, when Dionysius sent him two gowns, and bade him choose which he would carry to his daughter, said, "She can choose best," and so took both away with him.”

Said Two Daughter Gowns

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“I think the least important thing about science fiction for me is its predictive capacity. Its record for being accurately predictive is really, really poor! If you look at the whole history of science fiction, what people have said is going to happen, what writers have said is going to happen, and what actually happened - it's terrible.”

People Ifs Thinking Looks Said Important Whole Happens Poor Fiction Records Happened Terrible Capacity Important Things Science Fiction History Of Science

Author:William Gibson

“Aristodemus, a friend of Antigonus, supposed to be a cook's son, advised him to moderate his gifts and expenses. "Thy words," said he, "Aristodemus, smell of the apron.”

Said Son Smell Supposed To Be Cooks Expenses Moderates Aprons

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“Phocion compared the speeches of Leosthenes to cypress-trees. "They are tall," said he, "and comely, but bear no fruit."”

Said Tree Bears Speech Fruit Tall Cypresses Cypress Trees

Author:Plutarch

“Pythias once, scoffing at Demosthenes, said that his arguments smelt of the lamp.”

Said Argument Lamps Scoffing

Author:Plutarch

“Pompey had fought brilliantly and in the end routed Caesar's whole force... but either he was unable to or else he feared to push on. Caesar [said] to his friends: 'Today the enemy would have won, if they had had a commander who was a winner.'”

Ifs Said Ends Whole Today Force Enemy Winner Commanders Pompey

Author:Plutarch

“There were two brothers called Both and Either; perceiving Either was a good, understanding, busy fellow, and Both a silly fellow and good for little, Philip said, "Either is both, and Both is neither.”

Littles Said Two Understanding Brother Fellows Busy Silly Philip Two Brothers Good Understanding

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“Cicero called Aristotle a river of flowing gold, and said of Plato's Dialogues, that if Jupiter were to speak, it would be in language like theirs.”

Ifs Said Would Be Speak Language Rivers Gold Dialogue Plato Jupiter Plato S

Book:Plutarch's Lives

Source: Plutarch's Lives

“Remember what Simonides said, that he never repented that he had held his tongue, but often that he had spoken.”

Said Remember Silence Tongue

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“Alcibiades had a very handsome dog, that cost him seven thousand drachmas; and he cut off his tail, "that," said he, "the Athenians may have this story to tell of me, and may concern themselves no further with me.”

May Said Stories Cutting Dog Cost Thousand Concern Seven Tails Handsome Athenians

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but he that saith it never heard the sound of trumpets.”

Men Said Sound Wise Wonderful Heard Speech Philosopher Arguing Trumpets

Author:Plutarch

“A soldier told Pelopidas, "We are fallen among the enemies." Said he, "How are we fallen among them more than they among us?"”

Said Enemy Soldier Fallen

Author:Plutarch

“Lysander said that the law spoke too softly to be heard in such a noise of war.”

Said War Law Heard Noise Spokes

Author:Plutarch

“Themistocles being asked whether he would rather be Achilles or Homer, said, "Which would you rather be, a conqueror in the Olympic games, or the crier that proclaims who are conquerors?”

Said Games Conqueror Olympic Games Achilles

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“To one that promised to give him hardy cocks that would die fighting, "Prithee," said Cleomenes, "give me cocks that will kill fighting.”

Giving Said Dies Fighting Give Me Hardy

Book:Plutarch's Morals

Source: Plutarch's Morals

“When one told Plistarchus that a notorious railer spoke well of him, "I'll lay my life," said he, "somebody hath told him I am dead, for he can speak well of no man living.'”

Men Wells Said Speak Lays Spokes Notorious

Author:Plutarch

“Epaminondas is reported wittily to have said of a good man that died about the time of the battle of Leuctra, "How came he to have so much leisure as to die, when there was so much stirring?”

Men Said Dies Battle Died Good Man Leisure Stirring

Book:Plutarch's Lives and Writings

Source: Plutarch's Lives and Writings

“Shirley Jackson said that a confused reader is an antagonistic reader, and I live by that. It's okay to start anywhere, and to let yourself write a big sloppy overly-detailed first draft. You just jump in, knowing that the water will be cold at first, but no one is making you swim.”

Writing Firsts Said Bigs Water Knowing Cold Reader Okay Confused Live By Swim Sloppy

Author:Anne Lamott

“Sorrow, it is said, will make even an oyster feel poetical. I never tried my hand at that sort of writing but on this particular occasion such was my state of feeling, that I began to fancy myself inspired; so I took pen in hand, and as usual I went ahead.”

Feels Writing Said States Feelings Hands Particular Sorrow Inspired Occasions Fancy Pens Usual Oysters

Book:A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett ...

Source: A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett ...

“Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.”

Has Beens Said Knowledge Learning Communication Listening Experience Management Keep Going Never Quit Metamorphosis

Author:Andre Gide

“I must honor those who fight of their own free will, he said to himself. And I must try to imitate their courage by following my path as a pacifist, wherever it takes me.”

Trying Said Fighting Path Honor Following Free Will Take Me Pacifist

Author:Christopher Isherwood

“What another would have done as well as you, do not do it. What another would have said as well as you, do not say it; what another would have written as well, do not write it. Be faithful to that which exists nowhere but in yourself - and thus make yourself indispensable.”

Writing Wells Said Done Change Written Faithful Being Yourself Collaboration Indispensable Social Change Being Faithful Just Being You

Author:Andre Gide

“After my last divorce, I said I was absolutely going to marry somebody in another field, an aid worker or something. Then I met Brad, everything I wasn't looking for, but the best man, the best father I could possibly wish for, you know? I don't see him as an actor. I see him very much as a dad, as somebody who loves travel and architecture more than being in movies.”

Knows Men Said Lasts Actors Father Wish Fields Dad Mets Workers Divorce Architecture Aids Brad Best Father

Author:Angelina Jolie

“It's true that all the men you knew were dealers who said they were through with dealing Every time you gave them shelter. I know that kind of man It's hard to hold the hand of anyone who is reaching for the sky just to surrender.”

Knows Men Kind Said Hard Hands Sky He Man Surrender Reaching Shelter Dealer

Author:Leonard Cohen

“Said I, in scorn all burning hot,In rage and anger high,"You ignominious idiot,Those wings are made to fly!”

Made Said Hot Wings Rage Burning Idiot Scorn Rage And Anger

Book:The Yellow Wall-Paper, Herland, and Selected Writings

Source: The Yellow Wall-Paper, Herland, and Selected Writings

“One of the laws of nature," Gordon said, "is that half the people have got to be below average.""For a Gaussian distribution, yeah," Cooper said. "Sad, though.”

People Said Law Half Yeah Average Distribution Laws Of Nature

Book:Timescape

Source: Timescape

“I have said this to explain the stanza that follows, in which the soul replies to those who call in question its holy tranquillity, who will have it wholly occupied with outward duties, that its light may shine before the world: these persons have no conception of the fibres and the unseen root whence the sap is drawn, and which nourish the fruit.”

World May Persons Said Soul Light Duty Holy Roots Shining Fruit Conception Unseen Sap Tranquillity

Book:The Collected Works of St John of the Cross: The Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ, the Liv

Source: The Collected Works of St John of the Cross: The Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ, the Liv

“When a soul has advanced so far on the spiritual road as to be lost to all the natural methods of communing with God; when it seeks Him no longer by meditation, images, impressions, nor by any other created ways, or representations of sense, but only by rising above them all, in the joyful communion with Him by faith and love, then it may be said to have found God of a truth, because it has truly lost itself as to all that is not God, and also as to its own self.”

Way May Said Soul Self Spiritual Found Lost Natural Meditation Truth Is And Love Method Impression Rising Joyful Representation Communion Rise Above Faith And Love

Author:John of the Cross

“3. It is said that the I-activity is the root of all activities. From where the I-thought emerges, that in short is the heart.”

Heart Said Activity Roots

Author:Ramana Maharshi

“Some people', Miss R. said,'run to conceits or wisdom but I hold to the hard, brown, nutlike word. I might point out that there is enough aesthetic excitement here to satisfy anyone but a damned fool.”

People Said Hard Enough Might Running Missing Fool Excitement Brown Aesthetic Conceit

Author:Donald Barthelme

“His examiner said severely: "Baskerville, you blank round, discursiveness is not literature." "The aim of literature," Baskerville replied grandly, "is the creation of a strange object covered with fur which breaks your heart."”

Heart Said Literature Break Creation Objects Strange Aim Rounds Covered Blank Fur Break Your Heart

Author:Donald Barthelme

“Take me home," Snow White said. "Take me home instantly. If there is anything worse than being home, it is being out.”

Ifs Said Home White Snow Take Me Snow White

Book:Snow White

Source: Snow White

“Will you be wanting to contest the divorce?" I asked Mrs. Davis. "I should think not," she said calmly, "although I suppose on of us should, for the fun of the thing. An uncontested divorce always seems to me contrary to the spirit of divorce.”

Thinking Should Said Seems Spirit Fun Divorce Contrary Contests

Book:Sixty stories

Source: Sixty stories

“"I smell fennel," Launcelot said. "That reminds me, I should tell you I have discovered a specific for maims. You take salt, good-quality river mud, and bee urine, and slather it on the maim and hold it there for two days. Works like a charm. Gathering the bee urine is a bit of a bore."”

Should Said Two Bits Quality Rivers Smell Charm Salt Bees Bores Mud Gathering Two Days Good Quality

Author:Donald Barthelme

“"How does one conquer fear, Don B.?" "One takes a frog and sews it to one's shoe," he said. "The left or the right?" Don B. gave me a pitying look. "Well, you'd look mighty funny going down the street with only one frog sewed to your shoes, wouldn't you?" he said. "One frog on each shoe."”

Wells Looks Doe Said Left Streets Shoes Conquer Frogs Conquering Fear

Author:Donald Barthelme

“As Jules Renard said, no matter how much care an author takes to write as few books as possible, there will be people who haven't heard of some of them.”

People Writing Said Book Matter Care Heard Havens

Book:Flying to America: 45 More Stories

Source: Flying to America: 45 More Stories

Said Quotes

Related topics

Said Quotes