Lucian Quotes & Sayings

The poor wretches have convinced themselves that they are going to be immortal and live for all time, by worshipping that crucified sophist and living under his laws ... they receive these doctrines by tradition, without any definite evidence. So if any charlatan or trickster comes among them, he quickly acquires wealth by imposing upon these simple people. — Lucian

How gracious are the gods in bestowing high positions; and how reluctant are they to insure them when given. — Lucian

It is not lawful or proper for you to know everything. — Lucian

The subject matter is autobiographical, it's all to do with hope and memory and sensuality and involvement, really. — Lucian

Be grateful. By slaying you now, I spare you an eternity of torment. — Lucian

Death is a mercy, and I have enough mercy to go around. — Lucian

The lips are closed, for the dancer has plenty of other voices at his service. — Lucian

The happy think a lifetime short, but to the unhappy one night can be an eternity. — Lucian

For history, I say again, has this and this only for its own: if a man will start upon it, he must sacrifice to no God but Truth; he must neglect all else; his sole rule and unerring guide is this - to think not of those who are listening to him now, but of the yet unborn who shall seek his converse. — Lucian

The truth is hidden from us. Even if a mere piece of luck brings us straight to it, we shall have no grounded conviction of our success; there are so many similar objects, all claiming to be the real thing. — Lucian

The historian should be fearless and incorruptible; a man of independence, loving frankness and truth; one who, as the poets says, calls a fig a fig and a spade a spade. He should yield to neither hatred nor affection, not should be unsparing and unpitying. He should be neither shy nor deprecating, but an impartial judge, giving each side all it deserves but no more. He should know in his writing no country and no city; he should bow to no authority and acknowledge no king. He should never consider what this or that man will think, but should state the facts as they really occurred. — Lucian

The historian's one task is to tell the thing as it happened. — Lucian

Everybody dies. Some just need a little help. — Lucian

I have absolutely no idea how this site works. But if you're a reader who's interested in my books, I'll answer any questions you have. — Lucian

The American soldier demonstrated that, properly equipped, trained and led, he has no superior among all the armies of the world. — Lucian

The wealth of the soul is the only true wealth. — Lucian

The world is fleeting; all things pass away; Or is it we that pass and they that stay? — Lucian

The industry needs transforming. It's for others to decide whether they want to get stuck in the past or whether they want to come on the journey. — Lucian

I'll be reading books until the next challenger arrives. That will calm my nerves, so that I may deal with all situations without panicking. — Lucian

Poverty persuades a man to do and suffer everything that he may escape from it. — Lucian

Dancing is as old as love. — Lucian

The effort only shifted me from the frying-pan into the fire. — Lucian

Avarice is a cursed vice: offer a man enough gold, and he will part with his own small hoard of food, however great his hunger. — Lucian

There is no happiness without tears, no life without death. Beware! I am going to make you cry. — Lucian

Wise is the person at either end. Who can in due measure spare as well as spend. — Lucian