ῥεῖα μαλ’, ὡς ὅτε τις τροχὸν ἄρμενον ἐν παλάμῃσιν.
ἑζόμενος κεραμεὺς πειρήσεται, αἵ κε θέῃσιν.
Plutarch, De genio Socratis, p. 588f.
One ought not to be surprised at seeing the movement of large merchant-vessels controlled by small helms, nor the whirling of the potter’s wheel moving regularly at the mere touch of the tips of his fingers.
Οὐ δεῖ δὲ θαυμάζειν ὁρῶντας τοῦτο μὲν ὑπὸ μικροῖς οἴαξι μεγάλων περιαγωγὰς ὀλκάδων, τοῦτο δὲ τροχῶν κεραμεικῶν δίνησιν ἄκρας παραψαύσει χειρὸς ὁμαλῶς περιφερομένων.
Persius, Satires, III, 23-24.
[Advice to an idle young man of good position.]
You are wet, soft clay; at this very moment you should be hastening to shape yourself on the swift wheel.
udum et molle lutum es, nunc nunc properandus et acri fingendus sine fine rota.
Hippokrates, Περὶ Διαίτης, I, Littré, VI, p. 494, §22.