--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whoever thinks his friend more important…" description: "\"Whoever thinks his friend more important than his country, I rate him nowhere.\" — Sophocles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/sophocles-370_country_whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important_656336.png" --- # Whoever thinks his friend more important than his country… ![“Whoever thinks his friend more important than his country, I rate him nowhere.” quote by Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/sophocles-370_country_whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important_656336.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/sophocles-370_country_whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important_656336.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/sophocles-370_country_whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important_656336.png) > “Whoever thinks his friend more important than his country, I rate him nowhere.” [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loyalty to nation outweighs personal friendships; patriotism demands priority. **In simple terms:** Country should come before friends. Key Takeaway Prioritize civic duty. Themes patriotism loyalty ethics Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical political When to use this quote - Political debates - military service - community leadership Key Concepts Greek tragedy political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What is the balance between personal bonds and civic responsibility? A Different Perspective Can blind patriotism ignore moral duties? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friend Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend-important-1101448/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-country-342235/) [Rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rate/) [Thinks Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinks-friend-5237807/) ## Related quotes > [My best friend is the most important girl, outside of family, to me. I met her when I went to college and we bonded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-french/my-best-friend-is-the-most-important-girl-outside-of-family-to-me-i/) [Dawn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-french/) > [I've been told I'd get so much more work if I was smaller, but going out for dinner and drinks with my friend is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-atack/i-ve-been-told-i-d-get-so-much-more-work-if-i-was-smaller-but-going/) [Emily Atack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-atack/) > [Knowing how to keep a friend is more important than gaining a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/knowing-how-to-keep-a-friend-is-more-important-than-gaining-a-new-one/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [I never want to hear a person say they hate someone its too strong of a word to use on anyone or anything for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-rainey/i-never-want-to-hear-a-person-say-they-hate-someone-its-too-strong-of/) [Holly Rainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-rainey/) > [I learned that if you're going to move in with a friend, it's important to establish ground rules immediately so there aren't any misunderstandings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinsley-mortimer/i-learned-that-if-you-re-going-to-move-in-with-a-friend-it-s/) [Tinsley Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinsley-mortimer/) > [“A FRIEND is an important ingredient in the recipe of life…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulome/a-friend-is-an-important-ingredient-in-the-recipe-of-life/) [Paulome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulome/) > [We may expect answers to prayer, and should not be easy without them any more than we should be if we had written a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/we-may-expect-answers-to-prayer-and-should-not-be-easy-without-them/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [The United States is a very important country to us in the international context. But on other hand, Angola is also important to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joao-lourenco/the-united-states-is-a-very-important-country-to-us-in-the/) [Joao Lourenco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joao-lourenco/) > [Saudi Arabia is an important country to the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/saudi-arabia-is-an-important-country-to-the-united-states/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [We believe in public education. We think it's important in our country to have it and for us to support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/we-believe-in-public-education-we-think-it-s-important-in-our-country/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [Mexico is an important country for the U.S. We should not forget that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-videgaray-caso/mexico-is-an-important-country-for-the-u-s-we-should-not-forget-that/) [Luis Videgaray Caso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-videgaray-caso/) > [I travel to Jakarta, I see what an important country it is. I've been working with them for a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoli-boukreev/i-travel-to-jakarta-i-see-what-an-important-country-it-is-i-ve-been/) [Anatoli Boukreev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoli-boukreev/) > [It's important to the country for the gulf between many American voters and the people who cover them to get smaller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/it-s-important-to-the-country-for-the-gulf-between-many-american/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [When one man becomes more important than the country he's supposed to be leading, this will always create a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martina-navratilova/when-one-man-becomes-more-important-than-the-country-he-s-supposed-to/) [Martina Navratilova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martina-navratilova/) > [But to be self-obsessed is simply not o.k. for the most important country in the world, the United States, which affects every other country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/but-to-be-self-obsessed-is-simply-not-o-k-for-the-most-important/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) ## More by Sophocles > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [God's dice always have a lucky roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/god-s-dice-always-have-a-lucky-roll/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [A fool cannot be an actor, though an actor may act a fool's part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-fool-cannot-be-an-actor-though-an-actor-may-act-a-fool-s-part/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Go then if you must, but remember, no matter how foolish your deeds, those who love you will love you still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/go-then-if-you-must-but-remember-no-matter-how-foolish-your-deeds/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Man's worst ill is stubbornness of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/man-s-worst-ill-is-stubbornness-of-heart/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [A lie never lives to be old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-lie-never-lives-to-be-old/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [How dangerous can false reasoning prove!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/how-dangerous-can-false-reasoning-prove/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Why should man fear since chance is all in all for him, and he can clearly foreknow nothing? Best to live lightly, as one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/why-should-man-fear-since-chance-is-all-in-all-for-him-and-he-can/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“But life takes sudden twists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/but-life-takes-sudden-twists/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [When ice appears out of doors, and boys seize it up while it is solid, at first they experience new pleasures. But in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/when-ice-appears-out-of-doors-and-boys-seize-it-up-while-it-is-solid/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [For God hates utterly the bray of bragging tongues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/for-god-hates-utterly-the-bray-of-bragging-tongues/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I have nothing but contempt for the kind of governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/i-have-nothing-but-contempt-for-the-kind-of-governor-who-is-afraid/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“Not from Hades' black and universal lake can you lift him. Not by groaning, not by prayers. Yet you run yourself out in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/not-from-hades-black-and-universal-lake-can-you-lift-him-not-by/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [A fearful man is always hearing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-fearful-man-is-always-hearing-things/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [There is a point at which even justice does injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/there-is-a-point-at-which-even-justice-does-injury/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) [Explore all 621 Sophocles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whoever thinks his friend more important than his country, I rate him nowhere.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sophocles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important-than-his-country-i-rate-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important-than-his-country-i-rate-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/sophocles-370_country_whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important_656336.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/sophocles-370_country_whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important_656336.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/sophocles-370_country_whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important_656336.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whoever thinks his friend more important than his country, I rate him nowhere.” — Sophocles", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sophocles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whoever thinks his friend more important...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important-than-his-country-i-rate-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/whoever-thinks-his-friend-more-important-than-his-country-i-rate-him/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```