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
history nearer poetry truth vital
Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.
art kind poet
The productions of all arts are kinds of poetry and their craftsmen are all poets.
men doors poetry
It is vain for the sober man to knock at poesy's door.
light poetry able
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.
wisdom father poetry
They (the poets) are to us in a manner the fathers and authors of the wisdom.
poet asks
Don't ask a poet to explain himself. He cannot.
divinity poet bondage
The poets are nothing but interpreters of the gods, each one possessed by the divinity to whom he is in bondage.
cute poet love-everyone
At the touch of love, everyone is a poet.
wise philosophical poetry
Poets utter great and wise things which they do not themselves understand.
men poet every-man
Every man is a poet when he is in love.
carries exchange full luck range thou time
Time carries off all things; wouldst thou exchange - Name, looks, nature, luck? Just give time full range
desires equally flying four living meeting perfect principle public wisdom
Perfect wisdom has four parts, viz., wisdom, the principle of doing things aright; justice, the principle of doing things equally in public and private; fortitude, the principle of not flying danger, but meeting it; and temperance, the principle of subduing desires and living moderately.
boxes develop difference distant equivalent fires front glowing hours light spend wisdom
Someday, in the distant future, our grandchildren's grandchildren will develop a new equivalent of our classrooms. They will spend many hours in front of boxes with fires glowing within. May they have the wisdom to know the difference between light and knowledge.
consists foundation proceed prudent true zeal
Moderation, which consists in an indifference about little things, and in a prudent and well-proportioned zeal about things of importance, can proceed from nothing but true knowledge, which has its foundation in self-acquaintance.