Quotes About Balance

There can be no doubt that the love of wealth and the spirit of moderation cannot exist together in citizens of the same state to any considerable extent; one or the other will be disregarded. That is tolerably clear. And

The excess of liberty, whether in States or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of slavery.

Too much freedom seems to change into nothing but too much slavery, both for private man and city.

whenever there are any taxes, the one who's just pays more tax on an equal amount of property, the other less, and whenever [343E] there are allotments, the former gains nothing, the latter a lot.

For we cannot suppose that States are made of 'oak and rock,' and not out of the human natures which are in them, and which in a figure turn the scale and draw other things after them? Yes

Gymnastic as well as music should begin in early years; the training in it should be careful and should continue through life. Now my belief is,—and this is a matter upon which I should like to have your opinion in confirmation of my own, but my own belief is,—not that the good body by any bodily excellence improves the soul, but, on the contrary, that the good soul, by her own excellence, improves the body as far as this may be possible. What do you say? Yes, I agree. Then

The way up and the way down are one and the same.

That in any city, and particularly in the city of Athens, it is easier to do men harm than to do them good;

Por consiguiente, el que mejor sepa combinar gim­nástica y música y aplicarlas a su alma con arreglo a la más justa proporción, ése será el hombre a quien poda­mos considerar como el más perfecto y armonioso músico con mucha más razón que a quien no hace otra cosa que armonizar entre sí las cuerdas de un instru­mento.

And so they grow richer and richer, and the more they think of making a fortune the less they think of virtue; for when riches and virtue are placed together in the scales of the balance the one always rises as the other falls.

The very good and the very wicked are both quite rare, and that most men are between those extremes.

No creo que el cuerpo, por bien constituido que esté, domine por su perfección al alma buena; por el contrario, creo que el alma, cuando es buena, imprime al cuerpo, como un efecto de su propia excelencia, toda la perfección de que es capaz." (Platón, República).

Harmony and grace depend on simplicity… the true simplicity of a rightly and nobly ordered mind and character.

Cuando se suscita en el alma alguna rebelión, la cólera toma siempre las armas en favor de la razón.

Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils,—nor

Dear Pan and all you gods of this place, grant me that I may become beautiful within; and that what is in my possession outside me may be in friendly accord with what is inside. And may I count the wise man as rich; and may my pile of gold be of a size that no one but a man of moderate desires could bear or carry it. - Rowe's translation of Socrates' prayer to Pan

At that point they all agreed not to get drunk that evening; they decided to drink only as much as pleased them.

El alma es la que debe ocupar nuestros primeros cuidados, y los más asiduos, si queremos que la cabeza y el cuerpo entero estén en buen estado.

el placer y el dolor no se encuentran nunca a un mismo tiempo; y sin embargo, cuando se experimenta el uno, es preciso aceptar el otro, como

justice is the giving to each man what is proper to him

This they affirm to be the origin and nature of justice;--it is a mean or compromise, between the best of all, which is to do injustice and not be punished, and the worst of all

Lo que no es ni malo ni bueno es, pues, amigo de lo bueno por [b] causa de lo malo y de lo odioso, y con vistas a un bien amigo.

Of old the saying, "Nothing too much," appeared to be, and really was, well said. For he whose happiness rests with himself, if possible, wholly, and if not, as far as is possible,—who is not hanging in suspense on other men, or changing with the vicissitude of their fortune,—has his life ordered for the best.

Anyone who's really fighting for justice must live a private life as a citizen and not as a public figure if he's going to survive even a short time.