Quotes by
Plato |
Greek philosopher who was a student of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle and founder of the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. He is one of the most dazzling writers in the Western literary tradition and one of the most penetrating, wide-ranging, and influential authors in the history of philosophy. He is widely considered the most pivotal figure in the development of philosophy. Unlike nearly all of his philosophical contemporaries, Plato's entire work is believed to have survived intact. He is the founder of Western political philosophy, with his Republic, and Laws among other dialogues, providing some of the earliest extant treatments of political thinking.
| 26 quotes | 88,706 visits |
Quotations
| • | One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. 16 |
| • | For once touched by love, everyone becomes a poet. 10 |
Ancient Greek
| • | Man: one who thinks of what he sees. Άνθρωπος: ο αναθρών ά όπωπε. 44 |
| • | The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile. Το νικάν εαυτόν πασών νικών πρώτη και αρίστη. Το δε ηττάσθαι αυτόν υφ’ εαυτού, αίσχιστον και κάκιστον. 34 |
| • | The “right” is nothing more than what benefits the powerful. Το δίκαιον ουκ άλλο τι ή του κρείττονος ξυμφέρον. 25 |
| • | Pleasure, a most mighty lure to evil. Ηδονήν, μέγιστον κακού δέλεαρ. 25 |
| • | The beginning is half of everything. Αρχή ήμισυ παντός. 24 |
| • | I think death is nothing more than the separation of two things from one another: soul and body. Ο θάνατος τυγχάνει ων, ως εμοί δοκεί, ουδέν άλλο ή δυοίν πραγμάτοιν διάλυσις, της ψυχής και του σώματος απ’ αλλήλου. 21 |
| • | God is never, in no way unjust. Θεός ουδαμή ουδαμώς άδικος. 18 |
| • | It seems that excessive freedom leads to excessive enslavement. Η άγαν ελευθερία έοικε εις άγαν δουλείαν μεταβάλλειν. — Republic 18 |
| • | Nobody can escape destiny. Την ειμαρμένην ουδ’ αν είς εκφύγοι. 14 |
| • | One who thinks right is better than myriads who think wrong. Εις ευ φρονών μυρίων μη φρονούντων κρείττων εστί. 13 |
| • | God always geometrizes. Αεί ο θεός γεωμετρεί. 12 |
| • | The dialogue within the soul with itself... was named “thinking”. Ο εντός της ψυχής προς αυτήν διάλογος… επωνομάσθη διάνοια. 11 |
| • | Three things support the perfection of a man: character, learning and practice. Εις τελειότητα του ανθρώπου τρία δει συνδράμειν: φύσιν, μάθησιν και άσκησιν. 10 |
| • | The madness of love is the greatest of the blessings of the gods. Επ᾽ ευτυχία τη μεγίστη παρά θεών η τοιαύτη μανία [ο έρως] δίδοται. 10 |
| • | The good man has no envy for anyone, neither fear nor anger or hatred. Αγαθώ περί ουδενός εγγίγνεται φθόνος ούτε φόβος ούτε οργή ή μίσος. 10 |
| • | I only wish that wisdom were the kind of thing that flowed … from the vessel that was full to the one that was empty. Eυ αν έχοι ... ει τοιούτον είη η σοφία ωστ᾽ εκ του πληρεστέρου εις το κενώτερον ρείν ημών… 10 |
| • | The very rich are not good. Ουκ εισίν οι παμπλούσιοι αγαθοί. 9 |
| • | Knowledge creates happiness. Επιστήμη ποιητική ευδαιμονίας. 8 |
| • | Slaves and master could never be friends. Δούλοι γαρ και δεσπότης ουκ αν ποτέ γένοιντο φίλοι. 8 |
| • | Homer has educated Greece. Όμηρος την Ελλάδα επεπαιδεύκει. 7 |
| • | Wisdom is the best of all things, ignorance is the worst. Σοφία πάντων κάλλιστον, η δε αμάθεια πάντων κάκιστον. 7 |
| • | Until the kings become philosophers, there will be no end to the troubles of the states. Εάν μη οι βασιλείς φιλοσοφήσουν, ουκ έστιν των δεινών παύλα. 6 |
| • | Praise is more sweet than all pleasures. Ηδονών ήδιον έπαινος. 5 |
| • | All wars are made for the acquisition of assets. Δια την των χρημάτων κτήσιν πάντες οι πόλεμοι γίγνονται. 3 |
