Quotes from Plato

We understand why children are afraid of darkness ... but why are men afraid of light?

In an honest man there is always something of a child.

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

There's a victory and defeat-the first and best of victories, the lowest and worst of defeats-which each man gains or sustains at the hands not of another, but of himself.

Whatever deceives men seems to produce a magical enchantment.

When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.

All men are by nature equal, made all of the same earth by one Workman; and however we deceive ourselves, as dear unto God is the poor peasant as the mighty prince.

Let every man remind their descendants that they also are soldiers who must not desert the ranks of their ancestors, or from cowardice fall behind.

Many men are loved by their enemies, and hated by their friends, and are the friends of their enemies, and the enemies of their friends.

If a man be endowed with a generous mind, this is the best kind of nobility.

All well bred men should have mastered the art of singing and dancing.

And as passion is the foundation of courage, such warlike natures, whether of men or animals, will be full of passion.

No law or ordinance is mightier than understanding.

Knowledge without justice ought to be called cunning rather than wisdom.

Wisdom alone is the science of other sciences.

To a good man nothing that happens is evil.

Any man may easily do harm, but not every man can do good to another.

No one knows whether death is really the greatest blessing a man can have, but they fear it is the greatest curse, as if they knew well.

Life must be lived as play, playing certain games, making sacrifices, singing and dancing, and then a man will be able to propitiate the gods.

Every serious man in dealing with really serious subjects carefully avoids writing. ... There does not exist, nor will there ever exist, any writing of mine dealing with this subject.

The man who hath music in his soul will be most in love with the loveliest.

Man was not made for himself alone

It would be better for me ... that multitudes of men should disagree with me rather than that I, being one, should be out of harmony with myself.

Neither human wisdom nor divine inspiration can confer upon man any greater blessing than this [live a life of happiness and harmony here on earth].