Philodemus Quotes
Philodemus of Gadara was a 1st-century BC Greek Epicurean philosopher and poet, who taught in Italy under the patronage of the Roman politician Lucius Calpurnius Piso. His works survive in a remarkable papyrus library buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD at the so-called Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, which has been the source of the most extensive surviving body of Epicurean writing apart from the works of Epicurus himself and Lucretius. The quotes below are attributed to Philodemus, organized by topic.
Browse Philodemus by topic
Philodemus on Freedom
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“W. G. Headlam , A Book of Greek Verse (1907), p. 253: Shine out, O hornèd Moon, O festal night’s befriender, Shine through the latticed window with thy silver light; My golden fair illume, gaze forth in all thy splendour,— Immortal eyes are free to look on love’s delight:— Thy conscious heart, I know, is kind to us and tender,— Endymion , O Selene , set thine own heart’s flame alight!”
Νυκτερινή, δίκερως, φιλοπάννυχε, φαῖνε, Σελήνη, φαῖνε, δι᾽ εὐτρήτων βαλλομένη θυρίδων αὔγαζε χρυσέην Καλλίστιον ἐς τὰ φιλεύντων ἔργα κατοπτεύειν οὐ φθόνος ἀθανάτῃ. ὀλβίζεις καὶ τήνδε καὶ ἡμέας, οἶδα, Σελήνη: καὶ γὰρ σὴν ψυχὴν ἔφλεγεν Ἐνδυμίων.
Philodemus on God
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Attributed to Philodemus:
“The gods take no part in our cares, neither rewarding nor punishing.”
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“Shine, Moon of the night, horned Moon, who lovest to look on revels, shine through the lattice and let your light fall on golden Callistiŏn. It is no offence for an immortal to pry into the secrets of lovers. Thou dost bless her and me, I know, O Moon; for did not Endymion set thy soul afire?”
Νυκτερινή, δίκερως, φιλοπάννυχε, φαῖνε, Σελήνη, φαῖνε, δι᾽ εὐτρήτων βαλλομένη θυρίδων αὔγαζε χρυσέην Καλλίστιον ἐς τὰ φιλεύντων ἔργα κατοπτεύειν οὐ φθόνος ἀθανάτῃ. ὀλβίζεις καὶ τήνδε καὶ ἡμέας, οἶδα, Σελήνη: καὶ γὰρ σὴν ψυχὴν ἔφλεγεν Ἐνδυμίων.
Philodemus on Happiness
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Attributed to Philodemus:
“We must laugh and philosophise at the same time, and do our household duties, and employ our other faculties, and never cease proclaiming the sayings of the true philosophy.”
Philodemus on Justice
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“J. A. Symonds Jr. , Studies of the Greek Poets (1873), p. 380: Shine forth, night-wandering, horned, and vigilant queen, Illume Callistion: for a goddess may Gaze on a pair of lovers while they play. Thou enviest her and me, I know, fair moon, For thou didst once burn for Endymion.”
Νυκτερινή, δίκερως, φιλοπάννυχε, φαῖνε, Σελήνη, φαῖνε, δι᾽ εὐτρήτων βαλλομένη θυρίδων αὔγαζε χρυσέην Καλλίστιον ἐς τὰ φιλεύντων ἔργα κατοπτεύειν οὐ φθόνος ἀθανάτῃ. ὀλβίζεις καὶ τήνδε καὶ ἡμέας, οἶδα, Σελήνη: καὶ γὰρ σὴν ψυχὴν ἔφλεγεν Ἐνδυμίων.
Philodemus on Knowledge
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Attributed to Philodemus:
“Empty is the philosopher's argument by which no human suffering is relieved.”
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“Νυκτερινή, δίκερως, φιλοπάννυχε, φαῖνε, Σελήνη, φαῖνε, δι᾽ εὐτρήτων βαλλομένη θυρίδων αὔγαζε χρυσέην Καλλίστιον ἐς τὰ φιλεύντων ἔργα κατοπτεύειν οὐ φθόνος ἀθανάτῃ. ὀλβίζεις καὶ τήνδε καὶ ἡμέας, οἶδα, Σελήνη: καὶ γὰρ σὴν ψυχὴν ἔφλεγεν Ἐνδυμίων.”
Shine, Moon of the night, horned Moon, who lovest to look on revels, shine through the lattice and let your light fall on golden Callistiŏn. It is no offence for an immortal to pry into the secrets of lovers. Thou dost bless her and me, I know, O Moon; for did not Endymion set thy soul afire? | Greek Anthology , bk. 5, no. 123 | J. A. Symonds Jr. , Studies of the Greek Poets (1873), p. 380: Shine -
“Greek Anthology , bk. 5, no. 123”
Νυκτερινή, δίκερως, φιλοπάννυχε, φαῖνε, Σελήνη, φαῖνε, δι᾽ εὐτρήτων βαλλομένη θυρίδων αὔγαζε χρυσέην Καλλίστιον ἐς τὰ φιλεύντων ἔργα κατοπτεύειν οὐ φθόνος ἀθανάτῃ. ὀλβίζεις καὶ τήνδε καὶ ἡμέας, οἶδα, Σελήνη: καὶ γὰρ σὴν ψυχὴν ἔφλεγεν Ἐνδυμίων.
Philodemus on Love
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Attributed to Philodemus:
“The frank speech of friends, well used, is the most therapeutic of all things.”
Philodemus on Mind
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Attributed to Philodemus:
“Music, properly heard, soothes the mind without disturbing it.”