Aesop, the ancient Greek storyteller of the 6th century BCE, gave the world its most enduring fables — short tales in which animals speak and every story ends with a lesson. This collection of aesop quotes gathers 95 of his most famous morals, from “slow and steady wins the race” to “honesty is the best policy,” along with widely loved lines attributed to him across the centuries.
In this collection (7)
The Most Famous Aesop Quotes from the Fables
These are the morals everyone knows — the fables retold in every childhood, each ending with a line that stuck.
- “Slow and steady wins the race.” — Aesop (The Tortoise and the Hare)
- “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” — Aesop (The Lion and the Mouse)
- “United we stand, divided we fall.” — Aesop (The Bundle of Sticks)
- “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” — Aesop (The Milkmaid and Her Pail)
- “A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.” — Aesop (The Boy Who Cried Wolf)
- “The gods help them that help themselves.” — Aesop (Hercules and the Wagoner)
- “Necessity is the mother of invention.” — Aesop (The Crow and the Pitcher)
- “Look before you leap.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Goat)
- “Appearances are often deceiving.” — Aesop (The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing)
- “Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.” — Aesop (The Dog and the Shadow)
- “It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.” — Aesop (The Wolf and the Kid)
- “It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.” — Aesop (The Ant and the Grasshopper)
- “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” — Aesop (Androcles and the Lion)
- “Do not despise what you cannot get.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Grapes)
- “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” — Aesop (The Hawk and the Nightingale)
- “Persuasion is better than force.” — Aesop (The North Wind and the Sun)
- “You can’t please everyone.” — Aesop (The Miller, His Son, and Their Donkey)
- “Those who want everything lose everything.” — Aesop (The Goose with the Golden Eggs)
- “One swallow does not make a summer.” — Aesop (The Spendthrift and the Swallow)
- “Honesty is the best policy.” — Aesop (The Honest Woodman)
- “Better starve free than be a fat slave.” — Aesop (The Wolf and the House Dog)
- “A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.” — Aesop (The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse)
- “The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.” — Aesop (The Wolf and the Lamb)
- “Misery loves company.” — Aesop (The Fox Without a Tail)
- “Familiarity breeds contempt.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Lion)
- “Wealth unused might as well not exist.” — Aesop (The Miser)
- “Do not trust flatterers.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Crow)
- “Prevention is better than cure.” — Aesop (The Swallow and the Other Birds)
- “It is better to bend than to break.” — Aesop (The Oak and the Reed)
- “Little by little does the trick.” — Aesop (The Crow and the Pitcher)
Wisdom for Life’s Journey
Beyond the famous few, the fables hold quiet guidance for work, patience and the long road.
- “A man is known by the company he keeps.” — Aesop (The Ass and His Purchaser)
- “Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.” — Aesop (The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox)
- “Self-help is the best help.” — Aesop (The Lark and Her Young Ones)
- “We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified.” — Aesop (The Old Man and Death)
- “The smaller the mind, the greater the conceit.” — Aesop (The Gnat and the Bull)
- “Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.” — Aesop (The Stag at the Pool)
- “It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.” — Aesop (The Jay and the Peacock)
- “Fine clothes may disguise, but silly words will disclose a fool.” — Aesop (The Ass in the Lion’s Skin)
- “Example is the best precept.” — Aesop (The Crab and Its Mother)
- “People often grudge others what they cannot enjoy themselves.” — Aesop (The Dog in the Manger)
- “We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction.” — Aesop (The Eagle and the Arrow)
- “Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.” — Aesop (The Lion and the Boar)
- “Expect no reward for serving the wicked.” — Aesop (The Wolf and the Crane)
- “There is always someone worse off than yourself.” — Aesop (The Hares and the Frogs)
- “He that is discontented in one place will seldom be happy in another.” — Aesop (The Ass and His Masters)
- “Be content with your lot.” — Aesop (The Frogs Asking for a King)
- “Quality, not quantity.” — Aesop (The Lioness)
- “It is easy to propose impossible remedies.” — Aesop (The Mice in Council)
- “Hard work itself is the treasure.” — Aesop (The Farmer and His Sons)
- “Put your shoulder to the wheel.” — Aesop (Hercules and the Wagoner)
- “We must all work together.” — Aesop (The Belly and the Members)
- “Help your fellow in his need.” — Aesop (The Horse and the Ass)
- “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Stork)
- “Prepare for danger before it comes.” — Aesop (The Wild Boar and the Fox)
- “Share the danger, share the prize.” — Aesop (The Two Travelers and the Axe)
- “We see others’ faults more readily than our own.” — Aesop (The Two Bags)
- “The greater the position, the greater the fall.” — Aesop (The Mice and the Weasels)
- “Much ado about nothing.” — Aesop (The Mountains in Labor)
- “One good plan is better than a hundred doubtful ones.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Cat)
- “Stick to your trade.” — Aesop (The Cobbler Turned Doctor)
Character, Honesty and Conduct
Aesop had a sharp eye for character — what honesty costs, what flattery hides, and how friends prove themselves.
- “Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Goat)
- “Distrust interested advice.” — Aesop (The Fox Without a Tail)
- “A liar is soon exposed.” — Aesop (The Monkey and the Dolphin)
- “Enemies’ promises were made to be broken.” — Aesop (The Nurse and the Wolf)
- “Expect no gratitude from the wicked.” — Aesop (The Farmer and the Viper)
- “The loudest boasters are the least to be trusted.” — Aesop (The Quack Toad)
- “Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.” — Aesop (The Mischievous Dog)
- “The wise are not caught by the same trick twice.” — Aesop (The Cat and the Mice)
- “There are two sides to every story.” — Aesop (The Man and the Lion)
- “Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends.” — Aesop (The Bear and the Two Travelers)
- “He that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends.” — Aesop (The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts)
- “Precious things are for those that can prize them.” — Aesop (The Cock and the Pearl)
- “It is useless to attack the insensible.” — Aesop (The Serpent and the File)
- “Love can tame the wildest.” — Aesop (The Lion in Love)
- “Might makes right.” — Aesop (The Lion’s Share)
- “I do not like a man who blows hot and cold with the same breath.” — Aesop (The Man and the Satyr)
- “The strong and the weak cannot keep company.” — Aesop (The Two Pots)
- “We often give our enemies the tools to destroy us.” — Aesop (The Trees and the Axe)
- “Haste makes waste.” — Aesop (The Thirsty Pigeon)
- “Inner beauty is better than outer show.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Leopard)
- “Do not attempt what is beyond your power.” — Aesop (The Tortoise and the Eagle)
- “The fly on the chariot wheel cries, ‘What a dust I raise!’” — Aesop (The Fly and the Draught Mule)
- “Be content with what nature has given you.” — Aesop (The Peacock and Juno)
- “Do not reproach old age for failing strength.” — Aesop (The Old Hound)
- “Grasp too much, and you may lose it all.” — Aesop (The Boy and the Filberts)
- “Greed for pleasure often ends in pain.” — Aesop (The Flies and the Honey Pot)
- “We often despise what is most useful to us.” — Aesop (The Stag at the Pool)
Lines Widely Attributed to Aesop
These lines travel under Aesop’s name across books and speeches. Scholars debate their exact origin, so we mark them honestly as attributed.
- “After all is said and done, a lot more will have been said than done.” — Attributed to Aesop
- “We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” — Attributed to Aesop
- “Adventure is worthwhile.” — Attributed to Aesop
- “It is with our passions as it is with fire and water; they are good servants, but bad masters.” — Attributed to Aesop
- “Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both before we commit ourselves to either.” — Attributed to Aesop
- “The injury we do and the one we suffer are not weighed on the same scales.” — Attributed to Aesop
- “The level of our success is limited only by our imagination.” — Attributed to Aesop
- “If you allow men to use you for your own purposes, they will use you for theirs.” — Attributed to Aesop
FAQs About Aesop Quotes
Who was Aesop?
Aesop was a storyteller in ancient Greece (c. 620–564 BCE), traditionally said to have been born into slavery and freed for his wit. His fables were passed down by word of mouth for centuries before being written down.
Did Aesop really write all these fables?
The fables come from a long oral tradition and were shaped by many storytellers over the centuries. They are collected under Aesop’s name, which is why each moral above is cited with its fable.
What is the most famous Aesop quote?
“Slow and steady wins the race,” the moral of The Tortoise and the Hare, is the most quoted line from the fables around the world.
Why are some quotes marked “Attributed to Aesop”?
Lines such as “After all is said and done…” circulate widely under his name but cannot be traced to a specific fable, so we label them honestly instead of presenting them as verified.
Editor’s Picks: The Very Best Aesop Quotes
| Quote | Source |
|---|---|
| “Slow and steady wins the race.” — Aesop (The Tortoise and the Hare) | The Tortoise and the Hare |
| “United we stand, divided we fall.” — Aesop (The Bundle of Sticks) | The Bundle of Sticks |
| “The gods help them that help themselves.” — Aesop (Hercules and the Wagoner) | Hercules and the Wagoner |
| “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” — Aesop (The Milkmaid and Her Pail) | The Milkmaid and Her Pail |
| “A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.” — Aesop (The Boy Who Cried Wolf) | The Boy Who Cried Wolf |
| “It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.” — Aesop (The Ant and the Grasshopper) | The Ant and the Grasshopper |
| “Necessity is the mother of invention.” — Aesop (The Crow and the Pitcher) | The Crow and the Pitcher |
| “Look before you leap.” — Aesop (The Fox and the Goat) | The Fox and the Goat |
| “Honesty is the best policy.” — Aesop (The Honest Woodman) | The Honest Woodman |
| “One swallow does not make a summer.” — Aesop (The Spendthrift and the Swallow) | The Spendthrift and the Swallow |
| “After all is said and done, a lot more will have been said than done.” — Attributed to Aesop | Widely attributed |
More Aesop Quotes to Explore
If these fables spoke to you, keep reading:
- Plato quotes on wisdom and the examined life
- Aristotle quotes on virtue and reason
- Sun Tzu quotes on strategy and victory
- Marcus Aurelius quotes from the Meditations
- Epictetus quotes on the Stoic life
- deep quotes that change how you see life
- wisdom quotes for everyday decisions
- life quotes on meaning and purpose
- kindness quotes for a gentler world
- patience quotes for waiting well
- perseverance quotes to keep going
- courage quotes for hard moments
- gratitude quotes for thankful hearts
- hard work quotes on effort and reward
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CrownQuote Editorial Team
The CrownQuote editorial team researches, verifies, and curates every quote collection on this site. Spot an error? Reach us through the Contact page and we will fix it.