Famous Aesop Quotations

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"The gods help them that help themselves."
by Aesop
"The little reed, bending to the force of the wind, soon stood upright again when the storm had passed over."
by Aesop
"The shaft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagle's own plumes. We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction."
by Aesop
"Union gives strength."
by Aesop
"Slow and steady wins the race."
by Aesop
"Please all, and you will please none."
by Aesop
"No Act of Kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
by Aesop
"It is easy to be brave from a safe distance."
by Aesop
"It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds."
by Aesop
"He that always gives way to others will end in having no principles of his own."
by Aesop
"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow."
by Aesop
"A doubtful friend is worse than a certain enemy. Let a man be one thing or the other, and we then know how to meet him."
by Aesop
"United we stand, divided we fall."
by Aesop
"A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth."
by Aesop
"Affairs are easier of entrance than of exit and it is but common prudence to see our way out before we venture in."
by Aesop
"Any excuse will serve a tyrant."
by Aesop
"Appearances often are deceiving."
by Aesop
"Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything."
by Aesop, Juno and the Peacock
"Be content with your lot one cannot be first in everything."
by Aesop
"Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."
by Aesop
"Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own."
by Aesop
"Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your ruin."
by Aesop
"Do not count your chickens before they are hatched."
by Aesop
"Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth -- don't let that get swallowed up by the great chewing complacency."
by Aesop
"Familiarity breed contempt."
by Aesop
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."
by Aesop
"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls."
by Aesop
"He that is discontented in one place will seldom be happy in another."
by Aesop
"I am sure the grapes are sour."
by Aesop
"I will have nought to do with a man who can blow hot and cold with the same breath."
by Aesop
"In critical moments even the very powerful have need of the weakest."
by Aesop
"It is easier to get into the enemy's toils than out again."
by Aesop
"It is easy to despise what you cannot get."
by Aesop
"It is with our passions, as it is with fire and water, they are good servants but bad masters."
by Aesop
"It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow."
by Aesop
"Little friends may prove great friends."
by Aesop
"Look before you leap."
by Aesop
"Men often applaud an imitation, and hiss the real thing."
by Aesop
"Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties."
by Aesop
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is wasted."
by Aesop
"Only cowards insult dying majesty."
by Aesop
"Outside show is a poor substitution for inner worth."
by Aesop
"People often grudge others what they cannot enjoy themselves."
by Aesop
"Persuasion is often more effectual than force."
by Aesop
"Plodding wins the race."
by Aesop
"Put your shoulder to the wheel."
by Aesop
"Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction."
by Aesop
"The smaller the mind the greater the conceit."
by Aesop
"There is always someone worse off than yourself."
by Aesop
"Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find - nothing."
by Aesop
"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
by Aesop
"We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction."
by Aesop
"We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified."
by Aesop
"What a splendid head, yet no brain."
by Aesop
"While I see many hoof marks going in, I see none coming out. It is easier to get into the enemy's toils than out again."
by Aesop
"You may share the labours of the great, but you may not share the spoil."
by Aesop
"It was prettily devised of Aesop, The fly sat on the axle tree of the chariot wheel and said, what dust do I raise!"
by Francis Bacon
"Men often bear little grievances with less courage than they do large misfortunes."
by Aesop
"Appearances are deceptive."
by Aesop
"He that is discontented in one place will seldom be content in another."
by Aesop
"Enemies promises were made to be broken."
by Aesop
"There once was a Bald Man who sat down after work on a hot summer's day. A Fly came up and kept buzzing about his bald pate, and stinging him from time to time. The Man aimed a blow at his little enemy, but - whack - his palm come on his own head instead; again the Fly tormented him, but this time the Man was wiser and said: YOU WILL ONLY INJURE YOURSELF IF YOU TAKE NOTICE OF DISPICABLE ENEMIES."
by Aesop
"Example is the best precept."
by Aesop
"Don't count your chickens before they are hatched."
by Aesop
"A farmer who had a quarrelsome family called his sons and told them to lay a bunch of sticks before him. Then, after laying the sticks parallel to one another and binding them, he challenged his sons, one after one, to pick up the bundle and break it. They all tried, but in vain. Then, untying the bundle, he gave them the sticks to break one by one. This they did with the greatest ease. Then said the father, Thus, my sons, as long as you remain united, you are a match for anything, but differ and separate, and you are undone."
by Aesop
"The unhappy derive comfort from the misfortunes of others."
by Aesop
"Affairs are easier of entrance than of exit; and it is but common prudence to see our way out before we venture in."
by Aesop
"Men often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing."
by Aesop
"We should look to the mind, and not to the outward appearance."
by Aesop
"Obscurity brings safety."
by Aesop
"The injuries we do and the injuries we suffer are seldom weighed on the same scales."
by Aesop
"It is with our passions as it is with fire and water, they are good servants, but bad masters."
by Aesop
"In real life, it is the hare who wins. Every time. Look around you. And in any case it is my contention that Aesop was writing for the tortoise market. Hares have no time to read. They are too busy winning the game."
by Anita Brookner
"Fools take to themselves the respect that is given to their office."
by Aesop
"Our insignificance is often the cause of our safety."
by Aesop
"Little by little does the trick."
by Aesop
"In union there is strength."
by Aesop
"We often give our enemies the means to our own destruction."
by Aesop
"We would often be sorry if our wishes were granted."
by Aesop
"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety."
by Aesop


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