Heraclitus Quotes
Heraclitus of Ephesus was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher of the late sixth and early fifth centuries BC, known in antiquity as the Obscure for the difficulty of his sayings. His one book, conventionally titled On Nature, survives only in roughly 130 fragments quoted by later authors. The quotes below are attributed to Heraclitus, organized by topic.
Heraclitus on Knowledge
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Attributed to Heraclitus:
“Much learning does not teach understanding.”
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Attributed to Heraclitus:
“The eyes are more accurate witnesses than the ears.”
Heraclitus on Nature
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Attributed to Heraclitus:
“You cannot step into the same river twice.”
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Attributed to Heraclitus:
“All things flow.”
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Attributed to Heraclitus:
“The way up and the way down are one and the same.”
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Attributed to Heraclitus:
“Nature loves to hide.”
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Attributed to Heraclitus:
“The fairest order in the world is a heap of random sweepings.”
Heraclitus on Virtue
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Attributed to Heraclitus:
“Character is destiny.”