--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is short; this being so, who would…" description: "\"Life is short; this being so, who would pursue great things and not bear with what is at hand? These are the ways of madmen and men of evil counsel, at..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09a/euripides-472_bears_life-is-short-this-being-so-who-would-pu_340456.png" --- # Life is short; this being so, who would pursue great… ![“Life is short; this being so, who would pursue great things and not bear with what is at hand? These are the ways of madmen and men of evil counsel, at least in my judgment.” quote by Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09a/euripides-472_bears_life-is-short-this-being-so-who-would-pu_340456.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09a/euripides-472_bears_life-is-short-this-being-so-who-would-pu_340456.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09a/euripides-472_bears_life-is-short-this-being-so-who-would-pu_340456.png) > “Life is short; this being so, who would pursue great things and not bear with what is at hand? These are the ways of madmen and men of evil counsel, at least in my judgment.” [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human life is brief; pursuing greatness without confronting immediate challenges is foolish. **In simple terms:** Short life demands facing present tasks. Key Takeaway Confront present obstacles before aiming high. Themes mortality ambition practicality Mood serious thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career planning - personal goals - crisis management Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - What immediate tasks are you avoiding? - How do you balance long‑term dreams? A Different Perspective Neglecting present duties can cause failure later. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-short/) [Madmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madmen/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [The man who does evil to another does evil to himself, and the evil counsel is most evil for him who counsels it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesiod/the-man-who-does-evil-to-another-does-evil-to-himself-and-the-evil/) [Hesiod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesiod/) > [He for himself weaves woe who weaves for others woe, and evil counsel on the counselor recoils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesiod/he-for-himself-weaves-woe-who-weaves-for-others-woe-and-evil-counsel/) [Hesiod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesiod/) > [Evil counsel travels fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/evil-counsel-travels-fast/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [That mortal is a fool who, prospering, thinks his life has any strong foundation; since our fortune's course of action is the reeling way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/that-mortal-is-a-fool-who-prospering-thinks-his-life-has-any-strong/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Only a madman would give good for evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/only-a-madman-would-give-good-for-evil/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“I wish you joy. To spend life's fleeting days mid joy that never meets an evil hour is to be blessed beyond compare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/i-wish-you-joy-to-spend-life-s-fleeting-days-mid-joy-that-never-meets/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“Children, from what I had seen, were too often the fruit of men’s evil to women. And too often, instead of hating the men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lake-union-publishing/children-from-what-i-had-seen-were-too-often-the-fruit-of-men-s-evil/) [Lake Union Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lake-union-publishing/) > [“Goodness is more difficult than evil. Evil men knew that more than good men. That's why they became evil. That's why it stuck with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/goodness-is-more-difficult-than-evil-evil-men-knew-that-more-than/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [Goodness was more difficult than evil. 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Naturally, it may be used by evil men for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-rifle-itself-has-no-moral-stature-since-it-has-no-will-of-its-own/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [But all this world is like a tale we hear - Men's evil, and their glory, disappear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-all-this-world-is-like-a-tale-we-hear-men-s-evil-and-their-glory/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Euripides > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [A second wife is hateful to the children of the first; a viper is not more hateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/a-second-wife-is-hateful-to-the-children-of-the-first-a-viper-is-not/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Old age is not a total misery. Experience helps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/old-age-is-not-a-total-misery-experience-helps/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“What greater sorrow than being forced to leave behind my native earth?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/what-greater-sorrow-than-being-forced-to-leave-behind-my-native-earth/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Pay special attention to their agony so I might take some pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/pay-special-attention-to-their-agony-so-i-might-take-some-pleasure/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“You don't know what your life is, nor what you're doing, nor who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/you-don-t-know-what-your-life-is-nor-what-you-re-doing-nor-who-you-are/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [But woe to him, who left to moan, Reviews the hours of brightness gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/but-woe-to-him-who-left-to-moan-reviews-the-hours-of-brightness-gone/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Who then will dare to say I'm weak or timid? No, they'll say I'm loyal as a friend, ruthless as a foe, so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/who-then-will-dare-to-say-i-m-weak-or-timid-no-they-ll-say-i-m-loyal/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“Dreams of the proud man, making great And greater ever, Things which are not of God. In wide And devious coverts, hunter-wise, He coucheth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/dreams-of-the-proud-man-making-great-and-greater-ever-things-which/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [There is desire in those who love to hear about their loved ones' pains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/there-is-desire-in-those-who-love-to-hear-about-their-loved-ones-pains/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Soon all of you immortals Will be as dead as we are! Come on then, what are you waiting for? Have you run out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/soon-all-of-you-immortals-will-be-as-dead-as-we-are-come-on-then-what/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [There is the sky, which is all men's together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/there-is-the-sky-which-is-all-men-s-together/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Youth holds no society with grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/youth-holds-no-society-with-grief/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Leave no stone unturned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/leave-no-stone-unturned/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [The man who glories in his luck may be overthrown by destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/the-man-who-glories-in-his-luck-may-be-overthrown-by-destiny/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) [Explore all 532 Euripides quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) ## More Bears quotes > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Television series are like the stock market. There's room for bears and bulls but no room for pigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/television-series-are-like-the-stock-market-there-s-room-for-bears/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [The Germans are the most philosophic people in the world, and the greatest smokers: now I trace their philosophy to their smoking. Smoking has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-borrow/the-germans-are-the-most-philosophic-people-in-the-world-and-the/) [George Henry Borrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-borrow/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. 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Open your hearts and search the Scriptures. Bear your cross,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/pay-no-heed-to-the-passing-religious-vogue-go-back-to-the-grass-roots/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. You can read in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-take-a-red-hot-bath-as-hot-as-you-can-bear-it-and-just/) [F. 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