Quotes from 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.

Beauty is the bait which with delight allures man to enlarge his kind.

The Spirit is neither good nor bad, it runs where the wild heart leads" "Wisdom begins in wonder.

I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler.

The easiest and noblest way is not to be crushing others, but to be improving yourselves.

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.

The fewer our wants the more we resemble the Gods.

Be true to thine own self.

The life of which meaning one never ponders is not worth living

The real danger in life is not death, but living an evil life.

How many things are there which I do not want.

It is the greatest good for an individual to discuss virtue (aka areté) every day...for the unexamined life is not worth living.

The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning, middle, and end of all things.

Such as thy words are, such will thy affections be esteemed; and such will thy deeds be as thy affections and such thy life as thy deeds.

Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued." "It is not living that matters, but living rightly. The unexamined life is not worth living.

It is not living that matters, but living rightly.

Life without enquiry is not worth living for a man.

All I know is that I do not know anything

He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy.

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.

Where there is reverence there is fear, but there is not reverence everywhere that there is fear, because fear presumably has a wider extension than reverence.

It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit.

When you want success as badly as you want the air, then you will get it. There is no other secret of success.

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