You cannot teach a crab to walk straight. Aristophanes More Quotes by Aristophanes More Quotes From Aristophanes Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever. Aristophanes ignorance stupid forever Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever. Aristophanes wine clever mind Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy. Aristophanes justice long people Open your mind before your mouth Aristophanes mouths mind Ignorance can be cured, but stupidity is forever Aristophanes stupidity ignorance forever Wise people, even though all laws were abolished, would still lead the same life. Aristophanes wisdom wise life The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers. Aristophanes respect teacher love Characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner. Aristophanes characteristics politician voice [Y]ou possess all the attributes of a demagogue; a screeching, horrible voice, a perverse, crossgrained nature and the language of the market-place. In you all is united which is needful for governing. Aristophanes attributes voice language A man may learn wisdom even from a foe. Aristophanes friday learning inspirational These impossible women! How they do get around us! The poet was right: can't live with them, or without them! Aristophanes poet impossible Mix and knead together all the state business as you do for your sausages. To win the people, always cook them some savory that pleases them. Aristophanes together winning people Old age is second childhood. Aristophanes old-age childhood age By words the mind is winged. Aristophanes mind You're mistaken; men of sense often learn much from their enemies. Prudence is the best safeguard. This principle cannot be learnt from a friend: but an enemy extorts it immediately. It is from their foes and not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls and ships of war. And this lesson saves their children, their homes, and their properties. Aristophanes wall war children You vote yourselves salaries out of the public funds and care only for your own personal interests; hence the state limps along. Aristophanes salary vote care When men drink, then they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends. Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever. Aristophanes wine clever friendship Times change. The vices of your age are stylish today. Aristophanes vices age today Prayers without wine are perfectly pointless. Aristophanes pointless wine prayer Thou shouldst not decide until thou hast heard what both have to say. Aristophanes fairness ethics justice
