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In the beginning the gods did not at all reveal all things clearly to mortals, but by searching men in the course of time find them out better.
Xenophanes
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Xenophanes
Elegist
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Xenophanes of Colophon
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More quotes by Xenophanes
If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands...
Xenophanes
If oxen and lions had hands and could paint with their hands and produce works of art, as men do, horses would paint the forms of the gods likes horses and oxen like oxen. Each would represent them with bodies according to the bodies of each. So the Ethiopians make their gods black and snub-nosed the Thracians give theirs red hair and blue eyes.
Xenophanes
This upper limit, of earth at our feet is visible and touches the air, but below it reaches to infinity
Xenophanes
If God had not made brown honey, men would think figs much sweeter than they do.
Xenophanes
Ethiopians imagine their gods as black and snub-nosed Thracians blue-eyed and red-haired. But if horses or lions had hands, or could draw and fashion works as men do, horses would draw the gods shaped like horses and lions like lions, making the gods resemble themselves.
Xenophanes
Pure truth no man has seen, nor ever shall know.
Xenophanes
...for our wisdom is better than the strength of men or of horses. ... nor is it right to prefer strength to excellent wisdom. For if there should be in the city [any athlete whose skill] is honoured more than strength ... the city would not on that account be any better governed.
Xenophanes
No man knows distinctly anything, and no man ever will.
Xenophanes
But without effort [God] sets in motion all things by mind and thought.
Xenophanes
For we are all sprung from earth and water
Xenophanes
God is one, greatest of gods and men, not like mortals in body or thought.
Xenophanes
The clear and perfect truth no man has seen, nor will there be anyone who knows about the gods and what I say about all things... for, however perfect what he says may be, yet he does not know it all things are matters of opinion.
Xenophanes
God is one, supreme among gods and men, and not like mortals in body or in mind.The whole [of god] sees, the whole perceives, the whole hears. But without effort he sets in motion all things by mind and thought.
Xenophanes
All men begin their learning with Homer.
Xenophanes
The sun comes into being each day from little pieces of fire that are collected.
Xenophanes
If oxen and horses and lions could draw and paint, they would delineate the gods in their own image.
Xenophanes
The Ethiopians say that their gods are snub-nosed and black the Thracians that theirs have light blue eyes and red hair.
Xenophanes
It takes a wise man to recognize a wise man.
Xenophanes
The sea is the source of water and the source of wind for neither would blasts of wind arise in the clouds and blow out from within them, except for the great sea, nor would the streams of rivers nor the rain-water in the sky exist but for the sea but the great sea is the begetter of clouds and winds and rivers.
Xenophanes
It isn't right to judge strength as better than good wisdom.
Xenophanes
