Hippocrates

Father of medicine

Ancient influential 117 sayings

Sayings by Hippocrates

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

c. 460-370 BCE — A foundational statement on diet and health, widely attributed to Hippocrates.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

Walking is man's best medicine.

c. 460-370 BCE — A simple yet profound piece of advice on physical activity, widely attributed.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.

c. 460-370 BCE — Emphasizing the body's innate ability to heal, a core Hippocratic principle.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.

c. 460-370 BCE — A philosophical statement on the importance of health and learning from ailments.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

The physician treats, but nature heals.

c. 460-370 BCE — A statement on the role of the physician as an aid to natural healing processes.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption.

c. 460-370 BCE — From the Hippocratic Oath, outlining ethical conduct for physicians.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases.

c. 460-370 BCE — A statement on the use of drastic measures for severe conditions.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.

c. 460-370 BCE — A philosophical observation on the factors influencing recovery.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and a scented massage every day.

c. 460-370 BCE — Specific advice on hygiene and wellness, reflecting ancient medical practices.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different.

c. 460-370 BCE — A philosophical statement on the unity of life, reflecting a broader Greek philosophical tradition.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.

c. 460-370 BCE — Emphasizing the importance of individual patient characteristics over disease categorization.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

War is the only surgeon that can cure a nation.

c. 460-370 BCE (attributed, context debated) — A rather stark and unexpected metaphor for societal change or political purging, highly unusual for …
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Some patients, though conscious that their condition is perilous, recover their health simply through their contentment with the goodness of the physician.

c. 460-370 BCE — Highlighting the psychological aspect of healing and the importance of the doctor-patient relationsh…
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

The love of humanity is the basis of medicine.

c. 460-370 BCE — A statement on the ethical foundation of medical practice.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Disease is not an entity, but a fluctuating condition of the patient's body, a battle between the substance of the disease and the natural self-healing tendency of the body.

c. 460-370 BCE — A nuanced definition of disease as a dynamic process, not a static entity.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The greatest medicine of all is to teach people how not to need it.

c. 460-370 BCE — Emphasizing preventive medicine and patient education.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.

c. 460-370 BCE — A somewhat cynical, yet perhaps realistic, view of the physician's role.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

The best physician is also a philosopher.

c. 460-370 BCE — A statement on the ideal qualities of a physician, combining medical skill with wisdom.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Desperate diseases require desperate remedies.

c. 460-370 BCE — A pragmatic view on the necessity of strong interventions for severe illnesses.
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

It is health that is the real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

c. 460-370 BCE — A statement on the true value of health over material possessions.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable