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. | 19 quotes | 12,178 visits |
Quotations
| • | If we are to use women for the same things as the men, we must also teach them the same things. 74 |
| • | 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. 106 |
| • | Like in a statue, all parts of a life must be beautiful. Του βίου καθάπερ αγάλματος πάντα τα μέρη καλά είναι δει. 81 |
| • | Life without enquiry is not worth living for a man. O δε ανεξέταστος βίος ου βιωτός ανθρώπω. 62 |
| • | 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) 58 |
| • | When asked if the shape of the world is a sphere, Socrates replied: “I didn’t bend so much.” Ερωτηθείς εί 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 γούν 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 |
| • | 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 ταίς ψυχαίς. 3 |
