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 Denn mit Göttern
Soll sich nicht messen
Irgend ein Mensch.
Hebt er sich aufwärts
Und berührt
Mit dem Scheitel die Sterne,
Nirgends haften dann
Die unsichren Sohlen,
Und mit ihm spielen
Wolken und Winde
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For with the gods
may
No mortal himself
At any time measure.
Should he be lifted
Up, till he touches
The stars with his forehead,
Nowhere to rest find
The insecure feet
And he is plaything
Of clouds and of winds.
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(J. W. Goethe, 1749-1832, Grenzen der Menschheit /
Limits of Humanity).
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"... it is by no means to everyone that the gods grant a clear sight of themselves." (Homer, Odyssey 16.160).
"Let us first make an announcement to the gods, saying that we are not going to investigate about them, for we do not claim to be able to do that." (Socrates, 469-399 BC. Plato, Cratylus 401a).
"... I hold that no man knows about the gods more than another ..." (Herodotus, 484-430 BC, History 2.3).
"Of the portents recorded in ancient tales many did happen and will happen again." (Plato, 427-347 BC, Statesman 268e).
"As a general thing we find that the ancient myths do not give us a simple and consistent story; consequently it should occasion no surprise if we find, when we put the ancient accounts together, that in some details they are not in agreement with those given by every poet and historian." (Diodorus Siculus, 80-20 BC, The
Library of History 4.44.5).
"... the gods of Greece and of freedom—they are identical ..." (Aelian, ca. AD 170-235, Varia Historia 12.1).
"... we are not here to criticize the myths and are not ready to refuse them credence." (Philostratus Lemnius, born c. AD 190, Imagines 1.24).
Don Quijote: "...y así lo ha de hacer y hace el que quiere alcanzar nombre de prudente y sufrido, imitando a Ulises, en cuya persona y trabajos nos pinta Homero un retrato vivo de prudencia y de sufrimiento, como también nos mostró Virgilio, en persona de Eneas, el valor de un hijo piadoso y la sagacidad de un valiente y entendido capitán, no pintándolos ni describiéndolos como ellos fueron, sino como habían de ser, para quedar ejemplo a los venideros hombres de sus virtudes." (Miguel de Cervantes 1547-1616, Don Quijote de la Mancha, Primera Parte, Cap. XXV).
"Be Homer's works your study and delight,
Read them by day, and meditate by night." (Alexander Pope 1688-1744, An Essay on Criticism).
"We are all Greeks. Our laws, our literature, our religion, our arts, have their root in Greece." (Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1792-1822, Hellas).
"Homère est nouveau, ce matin, et rien n'est peut-être aussi vieux que le journal d'aujourd'hui." (Charles Péguy, 1878-1914, Cahiers de la Quinzaine, 8-26 avril 1914).
"A people gets the gods which it deserves." (Sir Cecil Maurice Bowra, 1898-1971: The Greek Experience).
"... nos refus ou nos acquiescements ont eu lieu déjà ; nos vices et nos vertus ont des modèles grecs." (Marguerite Yourcenar, 1903-88: Mémoires d'Hadrien).
"In life it's not a matter of how much you know, what's important is how little you allow yourself to forget." (Homero Expósito, 1918-87, Entrevista en La Maga).
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