Quotations about:
    bearing up

HELEN: When a man broods on a single misfortune and feels the gods are against him, though his suffering is real, it can be borne; but I am crushed by innumerable blows at once.

[ἙΛΈΝΗ: ὅστις μὲν οὖν ἐς μίαν ἀποβλέπων τύχην
πρὸς θεῶν κακοῦται, βαρὺ μέν, οἰστέον δ᾽ ὅμως:
ἡμεῖς δὲ πολλαῖς συμφοραῖς ἐγκείμεθα.]

Euripides (485?-406? BC) Greek tragic dramatist

Helen [Ἑλένη], l. 267ff (412 BC) [tr. Vellacott (1954)]
    (Source)

(Source (Greek)). Other translations:

He whom the gods afflict,
His sad thoughts though a single suffering claims,
Feels its weight heavy, yet perforce must bear it:
But I with many suffering am weigh'd down.
[tr. Potter (1783), l. 300ff]

Whoever therefore, with one single species
Of misery is afflicted by the gods,
Although the weight of Heaven's chastising hand
Be grievous, may with fortitude endure
Such visitation, but by many woes
Am I oppressed.
[tr. Wodhull (1809)]

Whosoever therefore, looking to one fate only, is ill-treated by the Gods, it is a thing heavy indeed, but may nevertheless be borne; but I lie amidst many calamities.
[tr. Buckley (1850)]

When someone looks to one event only, and is ill-treated by the gods, it is hard, but all the same it can be borne. But I am involved in countless troubles.
[tr. Coleridge (1891)]

Whoso, on one chance centering all his hopes,
Is stricken of God, hard though it be, may bear it;
But I -- I am whelmed in many miseries.
[tr. Way (Loeb) (1912)]

If in some one respect the gods afflict us,
It is not easy, yet we grieve with patience.
But grief on grief is multiplied in me.
[tr. Sheppard (1925)]

When a man looks for one thing only, and the gods
take that thing from him, it is hard, but bearable.
On me, however, many things have come at once.
[tr. Warner (1951)]

He who sees from the gods a single strain of luck,
all bad, has a sad lot, but can endure it still.
More complex is the sorrow in which I am involved.
[tr. Lattimore (1956)]

To fix your every hope on one thing
and then in that to be disappointed by the gods,
is admittedly a heavy blow.
But it is bearable.
Not so with me.
My misfortunes are many.
Blow after blow, they beat me down.
[tr. Meagher (1986)]

When you set your sights on one ambition and then are cheated of this by the gods, it is hard to bear but must be endured.
[tr. Davie (2002)]

Now, if a man doth turn his eyes to a single phase of fortune, and meets ill-usage at heaven's hands, 'tis hard no doubt; but still it can be borne; but I in countless troubles am involved.
[tr. Athenian Society (2006)]

When someone is victimized by the gods in one thing,
It's hard, but it can be endured.
I am beset with problems on all sides.
[tr. A. Wilson (2007)]

When a man has a plan in mind but is hindered by the will of the gods, well, that’s a hard thing to cope with but it can be endured but I -- I have fallen victim to many misfortunes.
[tr. Theodoridis (2011)]

When someone faces a crisis from the gods, and is distressed,
it’s a burden, yes -- but bearable all the same.
But me, I’m wrapped in many sorrows.
[Ambrose et al. (2018)]

When someone looks to one event only, and is ill-treated by the gods, it is hard, but all the same it can be borne. But I am involved in countless troubles.
[tr. Coleridge / Helen Heroization Team]