Plato
Plato
Platowas a philosopher in Classical Greece and the founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. He is widely considered the most pivotal figure in the development of philosophy, especially the Western tradition. Unlike nearly all of his philosophical contemporaries, Plato's entire œuvre is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
plato lasts all-things
Must not all things at the last be swallowed up in death?
plato democracy equal
These, then, will be some of the features of democracy... it will be, in all likelihood, an agreeable, lawless, parti-colored commonwealth, dealing with all alike on a footing of equality, whether they be really equal or not.
beautiful mean men
The three wishes of every man: to be healthy, to be rich by honest means, and to be beautiful.
plato passion profound
In particular I may mention Sophocles the poet, who was once asked in my presence, How do you feel about love, Sophocles? are you still capable of it? to which he replied, Hush! if you please: to my great delight I have escaped from it, and feel as if I had escaped from a frantic and savage master. I thought then, as I do now, that he spoke wisely. For unquestionably old age brings us profound repose and freedom from this and other passions.
justice evil injustice
To do injustice is the greatest of all evils.
education mind may
And may we not say, Adeimantus, that the most gifted minds, when they are ill- educated, become the worst?
art wine learning
To begin with the wine jar in learning the potter's art.
change water
You cannot go into the same water twice.
wisdom father poetry
They (the poets) are to us in a manner the fathers and authors of the wisdom.
inspirational running men
For the poets tell us, don't they, that the melodies they bring us are gathered from rills that run with honey, out of glens and gardens of the Muses, and they bring them as bees do honey, flying like the bees? And what they say is true, for a poet is a light and winged thing, and holy, and never able to compose until he has become inspired, and is beside himself, and reason is no longer in him. So long as he has this in his possession, no man is able to make poetry or to chant in prophecy.
people atheism stubborn
There are few people so stubborn in their atheism who, when danger is pressing in, will not acknowledge the divine power.
lying home may
The rulers of the state are the only persons who ought to have the privilege of lying, either at home or abroad; they may be allowed to lie for the good of the state.
strong noble clarity
So the nature required to make a really noble Guardian of our commonwealth will be swift and strong, spirited, and philosophic.
law evil citizens
The form of law which I propose would be as follows: In a state which is desirous of being saved from the greatest of all plagues-not faction, but rather distraction-there should exist among the citizens neither extreme poverty nor, again, excessive wealth, for both are productive of great evil . . . Now the legislator should determine what is to be the limit of poverty or of wealth.