Homer

Iliad and Odyssey

Ancient influential 175 sayings

Sayings by Homer

Hera, do not hope to know all my thoughts; they will be hard for you, although you are my wife.

c. 8th-7th century BC — Zeus to Hera during a domestic squabble.
Humorous Unverifiable

You blabbermouth, Thersites! You are quite marvelous at public speaking. But now shut up!

c. 8th-7th century BC — Odysseus rebuking Thersites.
Humorous Unverifiable

Nobody -- that's my name. Nobody -- so my mother and father call me, all my friends.

c. 8th-7th century BC — Odysseus introducing himself to Polyphemus.
Humorous Unverifiable

He (Hector) does not summon you to come to dance, but to do battle.

c. 8th-7th century BC — Ajax rebuking the Greek troops during a battle.
Humorous Unverifiable

A wicked crew betrayed me—they and a cruel sleep.

c. 8th-7th century BC — Odysseus lamenting his crew's actions after they open the bag of winds.
Humorous Unverifiable

And empty words are evil.

c. 8th-7th century BC — A general observation within The Odyssey.
Humorous Unverifiable

The bow is useless in the hands of a coward.

c. 8th century BCE — The Odyssey, Book 21
Humorous Unverifiable

Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans.

c. 8th century BCE — The Iliad, Book 1 (opening lines)
Humorous Unverifiable

Even a fool learns something by experience.

c. 8th century BCE — The Iliad, Book 17
Humorous Unverifiable

The difficulty is to know when you have found your ideal.

c. 8th century BCE — The Odyssey, Book 4
Humorous Unverifiable

For a man to be good, he must be good for something.

c. 8th century BCE — Attributed, but precise source within Homeric works is debated/difficult to pinpoint definitively as…
Humorous Unverifiable

Sons are a mother's pride and joy, but also her greatest sorrow.

c. 8th century BCE — The Iliad, Book 24
Humorous Unverifiable

Light is the task when many share the toil.

c. 8th century BCE — The Iliad, Book 12
Humorous Unverifiable

Sleep, that sweet state in which no man is wise.

c. 8th century BCE — The Odyssey, Book 13
Humorous Unverifiable

For a man may be a fool and not know it.

c. 8th century BCE — The Odyssey, Book 2
Humorous Unverifiable

The gods, too, are fond of a joke.

c. 8th century BCE — The Odyssey, Book 8
Humorous Unverifiable

There is nothing more admirable than two people who see eye to eye, true husband and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.

c. 8th century BCE — The Odyssey, Book 6
Humorous Unverifiable

It is not good to eat much meat.

c. 8th century BCE — The Odyssey, Book 9 (said by Odysseus regarding the Cyclops' diet)
Humorous Unverifiable

The best of life is but a dream.

c. 8th century BCE — Attributed, but precise source within Homeric works is debated/difficult to pinpoint definitively as…
Humorous Unverifiable

No man is born an artist.

c. 8th century BCE — Attributed, but precise source within Homeric works is debated/difficult to pinpoint definitively as…
Humorous Unverifiable