Plato Quotes

47 quotes

4th-century BCE Greek philosopher

“There is truth in wine and children”

"I know that I know nothing"

on Philosophy

"Courage is knowing what not to fear."

on Courage

"The spiritual eyesight improves as the physical eyesight declines."

on Spirituality

"virtue does not spring from riches, but riches and all other human blessings, both private and public, from virtue."

on Philosophy

"As it is, the lover of inquiry must follow his beloved wherever it may lead him."

on Curiosity

"For once touched by love, everyone becomes a poet"

on Love

"And yet even in reaching for the beautiful there is beauty, and also in suffering whatever it is that one suffers en route."

on Life

"Every king springs from a race of slaves, and every slave had kings among his ancestors."

on History

"Always be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle."

on Compassion

"this is the greatest good to man, to discourse daily on virtue, and other things which you have heard me discussing, examining both myself and others,"

on Education

"Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history."

on Art

"[On the virtuous man] "He combines the highest, lowest and middle chords in complete harmony within himself."

on Character

"A dog has the soul of a philosopher."

on Philosophy

"Justice is useful when money is useless."

on Truth

"Caring about the happiness of others, we find our own."

on Happiness

"Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul."

on Art

"At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet."

on Love

"Courage is a kind of salvation."

on Courage

"Calligraphy is a geometry of the soul which manifests itself physically."

on Art

"Excellent things are rare."

on Wisdom

Quotes on Plato

What others have said about Plato

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."

— Isaac Newton