Plato Quotes

Yes, but do not persons often err about good and evil: many who are not good seem to be so, and conversely? That.

The most important part of education is proper training in the nursery.

I am speaking like a book, but I believe that what I am saying is true.

And so, from such early times human beings have had Love for one another inborn in them -- Love, reassembler of our ancient nature, who tries to make one out of two and to heal human nature.

A hero is born among a hundred, a wise man is found among a thousand, but an accomplished one might not be found even among a hundred thousand men.

The man deserved his fate, deny it who can; yes, but the fate did not deserve the man.

True, how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?

It is clear to everyone that astronomy at all events compels the soul to look upwards, and draws it from the things of this world to the other.

Let parents then bequeath to their children not riches but the spirit of reverence.

The first and best victory is to conquer self. To be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile.

Self conquest is the greatest of victories.

For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.

No human thing is of serious importance.

I am smart because I know I nothing.

What a strange thing that which men call pleasure seems to be, and how astonishing the relation it has with what is thought to be its opposite, namely pain! A man cannot have both at the same time. Yet if he pursues and catches the one, he is almost always bound to catch the other also, like two creatures with one head.

In which, if any, of these constitutions do we find the art of ruling being practiced in the actual government of men? What art is more difficult to learn? But what art is more important to us?

Then the imitative poet who aims at being popular is not by nature made, nor is his art intended, to please or to affect the rational principle in the soul; but he will prefer the passionate and fitful temper, which is easily imitated? Clearly.

All things will be produced in superior quantity and quality, and with greater ease, when each man works at a single occupation, in accordance with his natural gifts, and at the right moment, without meddling with anything else.

The poet is a light and winged and holy thing, and there is no invention in him until he has been inspired and is out of his sneses, and the mind is no longer in him.

One man cannot practice many arts with success.

Do you desire to be wholly one; always day and night in one another's company? For if this is what you desire, I am ready to melt and fuse you together, so that being two you shall become one, and while you live a common life as if you were a single man, and after your death in the world below still be one departed soul, instead of two....