Quotes by
Socrates |
A Greek philosopher whose way of life, character, and thought exerted a profound influence on ancient and modern philosophy. He is known chiefly through the accounts of classical writers, especially of his students Plato and Xenophon. Plato's dialogues are among the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity. | 24 quotes | 12,674 visits |
Quotations
| • | If we are to use women for the same things as the men, we must also teach them the same things. 75 |
| • | By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you ‘ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. 73 |
| • | I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world. 70 |
| • | Crito, we owe a cock to Aesculapius. Pay it and do not neglect it. (his last words to his friend Crito) 59 |
| • | Contentment is natural wealth; luxury, artificial poverty. 52 |
Ancient Greek
| • | There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance. Εν μόνον αγαθόν είναι, την επιστήμην, και εν μόνον κακόν, την αμαθίαν. 107 |
| • | Like in a statue, all parts of a life must be beautiful. Του βίου καθάπερ αγάλματος πάντα τα μέρη καλά είναι δει. 83 |
| • | A life which is not examined is not worth living. O δε ανεξέταστος βίος ου βιωτός ανθρώπω. 63 |
| • | I know that I know nothing. Εν οίδα ότι ουδέν οίδα. ( the “Socratic paradox”; from a Latin quote which was a paraphrase of a Plato’s line and not a real saying by Socrates) 59 |
| • | When asked if the shape of the world is a sphere, Socrates replied: “I didn’t bend so much.” Ερωτηθείς ει σφαιροειδής εστιν ο κόσμος, έφη: «ουχ υπερέκυψα». 37 |
| • | Better be a late learner than an ignorant. Κρείττον οψιμαθή είναι ή αμαθή. (explaining why he was learning to play a musical instrument just before his execution) 25 |
| • | Kids are afraid of thunders and idiots are afraid of threats. Αι μεν βρονταί τους παίδας, αι δε απειλαί τους άφρονας καταπλήττουσι. 24 |
| • | Others live to eat, myself I eat to live. Οι μεν λοιποί ζώσιν ίνα εσθιώσιν, αυτός δε εσθίω ίνα ζω. 13 |
| • | I appear to be wiser than he, because I do not fancy I know what I do not know. Έοικα γουν τούτου γε σμικρώ τινι αυτώ τούτω σοφώτερος είναι, ότι ά μη οίδα ουδέ οίομαι ειδέναι. — Apology 6 |
| • | The empty sacs are inflated with air and the fools with conceit. Τους μεν κενούς ασκούς η πνοή διίστησι, τους δ’ ανοήτους, το οίημα. 5 |
| • | It is not safe to handle neither a horse without bridle nor wealth without thinking. Ούτε ίππω χωρίς χαλινού ούτε πλούτω χωρίς λογισμού δυνατόν ασφαλώς χρήσασθαι. 4 |
| • | Meletus and Anytus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me. Εμέ δε Άνυτος και Μέλητος αποκτείναι μεν δύνανται, βλάψαι δε ού. (Meletus and Anytus were the prosecutors in the trial of Socrates) 4 |
| • | No one is evil by choice. Ουδείς εκών κακός. 3 |
| • | When bodies become effeminate, souls get much weaker as well. Των σωμάτων θηλυνομένων και αι ψυχαί πολύ ασθενέστεραι γίγνονται. 3 |
| • | Not speaking well of others is not only sinful by itself, but lets evil intrude into the soul. Το μη καλώς λέγειν ου μόνον εις αυτό τούτο πλημμελές, αλλά και κακόν τι εμποιεί ταις ψυχαίς. 3 |
| • | At first, there were three human genders, not two as now. Πρώτον μεν γαρ τρία ην τα γένη τα των ανθρώπων, ουχ ώσπερ νυν δύο. |
| • | When Socrates was asked what possession is most beneficial, he said: “A true friend.” Σωκράτης ερωτηθείς τι κτήμα συμφορώτατον είπε: «φίλος βέβαιος». |
| • | Long garments hinder the body; excessive wealth hinders the soul. Αι μεν ποδήρεις εσθήτες τα σώματα, αι δε υπέρμετροι περιουσίαι τας ψυχάς εμποδίζουσιν. |
| • | Wind extinguishes fire, and familiarity extinguishes love. Το μεν πυρ ο άνεμος, τον δε έρωτα η συνήθεια εκκαίει. |
