Greek quotes

Graeca non leguntur. Things in Greek are not read.

-Anonymous
Term used by medieval 'glossatores' (commentators) of the Corpus Iuris, indicating that the parts in Greek should be skipped. It became a traditional comment to indicate ignorance.

There isneither Jew nor Greek, there isneither bond nor free, there isneither malenor female: for yeareall onein Christ Jesus. 122

-Bible (NewTestament)
Galatians 3:28.

Lienot oneto another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

-Bible (NewTestament)
Colossians 3:9^11.

They gang in Stirks, and come out Asses, Plain truth to speak; An'syne they think to climb Parnassus By dint o'Greek!

- Robert Burns
  'Epistle to  J. Lapraik,  An Old Scotch Bard,1  April1785', stanza12.

'Tis known he could speak Greek As naturallyas pigs squeak.

- Samuel Butler
  Hudibras, pt.1, canto1, l.51^2.

He thought he saw a Rattlesnake That questioned him in Greek, He looked again and found it was The Middle of Next Week. 'The one thing I regret,' he said, 'Is that it cannot speak!'

-Dodgson
  Sylvie and Bruno, ch.6.

Thou hadst small Latin, and less Greek.

- Ben Jonson
  'To the Memory of My Beloved,  the  Author, Mr. William Shakespeare, and What He Hath Left Us', prefatorydedicationto the first folio of Shakespeare's plays.

To create forms means: to live. Are not children more creative in drawing directly from the secret of their sensations than the imitator of Greek forms? Are not savages artists who have forms of their own powerful as the form of thunder?

- August Macke
  The Blaue Reiter Almanac.

Though I've never read a line of Homer I believe the Greekof today is essentially unchanged.If anything he is more Greek than he ever was.

- Henry Valentine Miller
The Colossus of Maroussi, pt.1.

Rise not till noon, if life be but a dream, As Greek and Roman poets have exprest: Add good example to so grave a theme, For he who sleeps the longest lives the best.

- Matthew Prior
'Epigram'. (Date unknown. In Matthew Prior: LiteraryWorks, edited by H B Wright and M K Spears, 2 vols,1959.)

   Of her choice virtues only gods should speak, Or English poets who grew up on Greek (I'd have them sing in chorus, cheek to cheek).

-Will Rogers
  Words for theWind,'I Knew aWoman'.

Nobodycansayaword against Greek: it stamps a manat once as an educated gentleman.

- George Bernard Shaw
  Lady Britomart Undershaft to Stephen. Major Barbara, act1.

Of such deep learning little had he need, Ne yet of Latin, ne of Greek that breed Doubts 'mongst divines, and difference of texts, From when arise diversity of sects, And hateful heresies.

- Edmund Spenser
Prosopopoia, l.385^9.

It is vain and foolish to talk of knowing Greek.

- (Adeline) Virginia ne  e Stephen Woolf
  The Common Reader,'On Not Knowing Greek'.