Socrates
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greekphilosopher credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. He is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Plato's dialogues are among the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity, though it is unclear the degree to which Socrates himself is "hidden behind his 'best disciple', Plato"...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
courage men desire
I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can...And, to the utmost of my power, I exhort all other men to do the same...I exhort you also to take part in the great combat, which is the combat of life, and greater than every other earthly conflict.
love inspire desire
When desire, having rejected reason and overpowered judgment which leads to right, is set in the direction of the pleasure which beauty can inspire, and when again under the influence of its kindred desires it is moved with violent motion towards the beauty of corporeal forms, it acquires a surname from this very violent motion, and is called love.
mother nursing desire
Virtue is the nursing-mother of all human pleasures, who, in rendering them just, renders them also pure and permanent; in moderating them, keeps them in breath and appetite; in interdicting those which she herself refuses, whets our desires to those that she allows; and, like a kind and liberal mother, abundantly allows all that nature requires, even to satiety, if not to lassitude.
hate hatred desire
From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate.
desire want fewer
The fewer our wants the more we resemble the Gods.
pain desire coward
Some have courage in pleasures, and some in pains: some in desires, and some in fears, and some are cowards under the same conditions.
hate desire calm
The greatest flood has the soonest ebb; the sorest tempest the most sudden calm; the hottest love the coldest end; and from the deepest desire oftentimes ensues the deadliest hate.
desire endeavor gain good greek-philosopher
The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.
education filling vessel
Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel
beginning definition wisdom
The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.
glory nearest strive wish
The nearest way to glory is to strive to be what you wish to be thought to be
becomes equal equality man superior woman
Woman once made equal to man becomes his superior
ashamed care caring fame improvement money neither nor truth wisdom
Are you not ashamed of caring so much for the making of money and for fame and prestige, when you neither think nor care about wisdom and truth and the improvement of your soul?
enjoy enjoyment later
Enjoy yourself -- it's later than you think.