Plato Quotes (310 Quotes)

Those who seek power are not worthy of that power.

Philosophy is an elegant thing, if anyone modestly meddles with it but if they are conversant with it more than is becoming, it corrupts them.

The measure of a man is what he does with power.

For the introduction of a new kind of music must be shunned as imperiling the whole state; since styles of music are never disturbed without affecting the most important political institutions.

Injustice is censured because the censures are afraid of suffering, and not from any fear which they have of doing injustice.

Democracy passes into despotism.

This City is what it is because our citizens are what they are.

Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men.

The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.

The life that is unexamined is not worth living.

The excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the opposite direction.

When there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the same amount of income.

The knowledge of which geometry aims is the knowledge of the eternal.

Thinking: the talking of the soul with itself.

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

Virtue is relative to the actions and ages of each of us in all that we do.

One man cannot practice many arts with success.

The highest form of pure thought is in mathematics

Perfect wisdom has four parts, viz., wisdom, the principle of doing things aright justice, the principle of doing things equally in public and private fortitude, the principle of not flying danger, but meeting it and temperance, the principle of subduing desires and living moderately.

He whom love touches not walks in darkness.

Homosexuality, is regarded as shameful by barbarians and by those who live under despotic governments just as philosophy is regarded as shameful by them, because it is apparently not in the interest of such rulers to have great ideas engendered in their subjects, or powerful friendships or passionate love-all of which homosexuality is particularly apt to produce.

Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.

That man is wisest who, like Socrates, realizes that his wisdom is worthless.

The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.

Philosophy is the highest music.

The most virtuous of all men is he that contents himself with being virtuous without seeking to appear so.

And what, Socrates, is the food of the soul? Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of the soul.

The excessive increase of anything causes a reaction in the opposite direction.

They do certainly give very strange, and newfangled, names to diseases.

Excess of liberty, whether it lies in state or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of slavery.

Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul

The wise are doubtful.

All things flow nothing abides.

Philosophy begins in wonder.

No one is a friend to his friend who does not love in return.

There must always remain something that is antagonistic to good.

Your silence gives consent.

Courage is a kind of salvation.

God is truth and light his shadow.

Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.

Atheism is a disease of the soul, before it becomes an error of the understanding.

He who can properly define and divide is to be considered a god.

Prefer diligence before idleness, unless you esteem rust above brightness.

The productions of all arts are kinds of poetry and their craftsmen are all poets.

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.

I have hardly ever known a mathematician who was capable of reasoning.

I would fain grow old learning many things.

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

Seven years of silent inquiry are needful for a man to learn the truth, but fourteen in order to learn how to make it known to his fellowmen.

The seen is the changing, the unseen is the unchanging.