Quotes from The Oresteia

“Nothing forces us to know
What we do not want to know
Except pain”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“There is advantage in the wisdom won from pain.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“ATHENA: You wish to be called righteous rather than act right. [...] I say, wrong must not win by technicalities.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“A great ox stands on my tongue.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“We spoil ourselves with scruples long as things go well.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“They came back
To widows,
To fatherless children,
To screams, to sobbing.
The men came back
As little clay jars
Full of sharp cinders.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Alas, poor men, their destiny. When all goes well a shadow will overthrow it. If it be unkind one stroke of a wet sponge wipes all the picture out; and that is far the most unhappy thing of all.
-Cassandra”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“But there is a cure in the house,
and not outside it, no,
not from others but from them,
their bloody strife. We sing to you,
dark gods beneath the earth.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“FURIES:
Over the beast doomed to the fire
this is the chant, scatter of wits,
frenzy and fear, hurting the heart,
song of the Furies
binding brain and blighting blood
in its stringless melody.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Neither the life of anarchy nor the life enslaved by tyrants, no, worship neither. Strike the balance all in all and god will give you power.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Horror gives place to wonder at your true account;
The rest outstrips our comprehension; we give up.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Only when man's life comes to its end in prosperity can one call that man fortunate.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Pain both ways and what is worse?”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“لا توافق على العيش في ظل الفوضى، ولا في ظل الاستبداد”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Pour everything out for the blood you have shed, you're wasting your time in appeasing the dead.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“I have suffered into truth (...) Time refines all things that age with time”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“CHORUS: Helen! wild mad Helen
you murdered so many beneath Troy.
Now you’ve crowned yourself one final perfect time,
a crown of blood that will not wash away.
Strife walks with you everywhere you go.

KLYTAIMESTRA: Oh, stop whining.
And why get angry at Helen?
As if she singlehandedly destroyed those multitudes of men.
As if she all alone made this wound in us”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“لا يمكن أن يقال إنه لا يحق للمرء أن يأخذ العدالة بيده، كما يقال في هذه الأيام، لأن العدالة إما أن تطبق على جميع الجرائم، أو لاتطبق أبدا . وفي هذه الحالة الأخيرة يحق لمن وقع عليه الأذى أن يأخذ العدالة بيده فيقابل الشر بالشر دون أن يسرف”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“But to speak ill of people at hand who give no cause for blame, is to assume a right far distinct from justice.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“أيها الملك أنت تعلم ما معنى العدل، ومن ثم تعلم أيضا أن تكون يقظا. إن قوتك ضمان لإحسانك”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Ill is the very word to speak, for none        Can ransom or atone For blood once shed and darkening the plain.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“إن من التقوى مجازاة الجريمة بالجريمة”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“No shame, I think, in the death given this man. And did he not first of all in this house wreak death by treachery? 1525 The flower of this man’s love and mine, Iphigeneia of the many tears— he dealt with her even as he has suffered now.° So let his speech in Death’s house be not loud. With the sword he struck; with the sword he paid for his own act.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Look at him, look how he drips unhealth—shudder object!”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“But who can recount all 595 the high daring in the will of man, and in the stubborn hearts of women the all-adventurous passions that couple with man’s overthrow.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“Right’s anvil stands staunch on the ground and the smith, Destiny, hammers out the sword. Delayed in glory, pensive from 650 the murk, Vengeance brings home at last a child, to wipe out the stain of blood shed long ago.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“I shall select judges of manslaughter, and swear them in, establish a court into all time to come. 485 Litigants, call your witnesses, have ready your proofs as evidence under bond to keep this case secure. I will pick the finest of my citizens, and come back. They shall swear to make no judgment that is not just, and make clear where in this action the truth lies.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

“But Righteousness still shines out in the smoke of mean houses. 775 Her blessing is on the just man. From high halls starred with gold by reeking hands she turns back with eyes that glance away to the simple in heart, spurning the strength of gold 780 stamped false with flattery. And all things she steers to fulfillment.”
― Aeschylus, quote from The Oresteia

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BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.

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