Quotes by Socrates

About Socrates:

Socrates is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Plato's dialogues are among the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity, though it is unclear the degree to which Socrates himself is "hidden behind his 'best disciple', Plato".
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

One who is injured ought not to return the injury, for on no account can it be right to do an injustice; and it is not right to return an injury, or to do evil to any man, however much we have suffered from him.

Socrates

From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate.

Socrates

Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.

Socrates

If all misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own and depart.

Socrates

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

Socrates

An honest man is always a child.

Socrates

It is not living that matters, but living rightly.

Socrates

A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.

Socrates

I was really too honest a man to be a politician and live.

Socrates

The poets are only the interpreters of the gods.

Socrates

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

Socrates

Nobody is qualified to become a statesman who is entirely ignorant of the problem of wheat.

Socrates

By means of beauty, all beautiful things become beautiful.

Socrates

My friend...care for your psyche...know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves" -Socrates

Socrates

Let him who would move the world first move himself.

Socrates

We cannot live better than in seeking to become better.

Socrates

He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.

Socrates

If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and depart.

Socrates

To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the...

Socrates

Be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth, that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death.

Socrates

The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our separate ways, I to die, and you to live. Which of these two is better only God knows.

Socrates

Author Bio

  • NameSocrates
  • Descriptionclassical Greek Athenian philosopher, tutor of Plato
  • AliasesS?krát?s; Sokrates
  • Born470 BCE
  • Died399 BCE
  • CountryClassical Athens
  • ProfessionPhilosopher