PLATO

PLATO

Athens, 429 - 345 B.C.
GODS OVERSEE HUMAN AFFAIRS. THERE ARE DEMONS TOO
GODS OVERSEE HUMAN AFFAIRS. THERE ARE DEMONS TOO - PLATO

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Philosopher. He was born in Athens of noble parents. His first name was Aristocles, and he was called Plato, because of the breadth of his chest and forehead. He took up poetry as a young man, but quickly devoted himself definitively to philosophy. At the age of twenty, he became attached to Socrates and stayed with him for nine years. His love for him has no equal in history of the devotion of a pupil to a teacher. He made several trips to Egypt, Cyrene, Sicily, Asia Minor to meet many philosophers of the Pythagorean school, in particular.

In Syracuse, he became friends with the tyrant Dionysius and his relatives. Later, because he had displeased the tyrant by his impudence, he, in revenge, sold him to the Spartan ambassador as a slave, to be ransomed by the philosopher Annicerios. After returning to Athens, forty years old, he founded a regular school, the so-called Academy, which took its name from the place where it was dedicated to the hero Akadimos. In his Academy, Plato taught for 42 years, and his students formed a kind of scientific association, which was maintained until 525 AD. He died in Athens at the age of 81, on his birthday. His tomb, in Kerameikos, was preserved until the years of Pausanias. He wrote the "Apology" of Socrates, whose philosophy he exposes, completes, systematizes and praises.

Platonic philosophy deals with the nature of the "sensible" and "supersensible" world, and is the first universal system in history. The influence of this system on the later world was incalculable.

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Quotes


  1. THE MOST PROFITABLE IS THE MOST CONSISTENT WITH ITS NATURE
  2. IDEAS EXIST IN NATURE AS PATTERNS AND ALL OTHERS LOOK LIKE THEM AND ARE SIMILAR TO THEM
  3. IF THERE IS MEMORY, THERE ARE IDEAS IN THINGS
  4. HABIT IS NOT SMALL
  5. NOONE WHO IS SLEEPING IS WORTH ANYTHING
  6. THE MOST PLEASURABLE THING TO LISTEN TO IS THE TRUTH
  7. JUSTICE IS A SUPREME VIRTUE
  8. THE SOUL IS IMMORTAL AND PASSES THROUGH MANY BODIES
  9. GOD IS MIND AND CAUSE
  10. MATTER IS FORMLESS AND INFINITE
  11. THE WORLD IS ONE AND HAS BEEN CREATED BECAUSE IT IS SENSIBLE AND MADE BY GOD
  12. THE SOULFUL IS SUPERIOR TO THE SOULESS
  13. THE CAUSE OF ALL GENESIS IS GOD, BECAUSE GOOD BY ITS NATURE PRODUCES GOOD
  14. THE WORLD IS MADE OF FIRE, WATER, AIR AND EARTH
  15. TIME WAS CREATED AS AN IMAGE OF ETERNITY
  16. AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE WORLD EXISTS, TIME ALSO EXISTS
  17. PRINCIPLES AND CAUSES ARE GOD AND MATTER
  18. GOD LIKE THE SOUL IS INCORPORATE
  19. VIRTUE IS ENOUGH TO ACHIEVE BLISS
  20. GODS OVERSEE HUMAN AFFAIRS. THERE ARE DEMONS TOO
  21. BEAUTIFUL IS THE WORTHY, THE RATIONAL, THE USEFUL, THE APPROPRIATE AND SUITABLE
  22. JUSTICE IS DIVINE LAW
  23. JUSTICE, WISDOM, COURAGE AND PRUDENCE ARE IN THE SOUL
  24. BEAUTY, FITNESS, HEALTH AND STRENGTH ARE IN THE BODY
  25. THOSE WHO RETURN THAT WHICH WAS BORROWED AND THAT WHICH WAS TRUSTED TO THEM, ACT FAIRLY TO PEOPLE
  26. THOSE WHO TAKE CARE OF THE GRAVES ARE JUST TOWARDS THE DEPARTED
  27. THOSE WHO TAKE CARE OF SACRAMENTS ARE DEVOUT TO THE GODS
  28. THE LAWS ARE WRITTEN AND UNWRITTEN
  29. BEAUTY IS AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND USEFUL
  30. THE SOUL IS DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS: REASON, EMOTIONS, DESIRES
  31. PRUDENCE IS THE CAUSE OF RIGHT ACTIONS
  32. JUSTICE IS THE REASON TO BE FAIR IN OUR ASSOCIATIONS AND DEALINGS
  33. FROM COURAGE BEGINS THE LACK OF HESITATION TO FACE RISKS
  34. PRUDENCE HELPS TO CONTROL OUR DESIRES, NOT TO BECOME SLAVES OF PLEASURES AND TO LIVE WITH DECENCY
  35. ACCORDING TO NATURE THE MALE HOLDS AUTHORITY
  36. POWER IS EXERCISED BY LAW, BY NATURE, BY CUSTOM, BY ORIGIN AND BY VIOLENCE
  37. WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID MUST BENEFIT BOTH THE SPEAKER AND THE LISTENER
  38. BENEFICENCE IS MADE WITH MONEY, WITH PHYSICAL HELP, WITH KNOWLEDGE AND WITH WORDS
  39. POWER IS IN MIND, IN BODY, IN MONEY, IN ACTIONS AND IN EXPERIENCES
  40. HAPPINESS CONSISTS IN RIGHT JUDGMENT, SENSITIVITY AND HEALTH OF THE BODY, SUCCESS, GOOD REPUTATION AND FINANCIAL COMFORT
  41. SOME ADVICES ARE TAKEN FROM THE PAST, SOME FROM THE PRESENT AND SOME FROM THE FUTURE
  42. THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF HUMAN CHARACTERS: THE PHILOSOPHER, THE AMBITIOUS AND THE GREEDY
  43. IMPUNITY MAKES EVIL EVEN WORSE
  44. EVIL IS EVERYTHING THAT CAUSES DECAY AND DESTRUCTION AND GOOD EVERYTHING THAT SAVES AND BENEFITS
  45. THE SOUL IS IMMORTAL AND CAPABLE OF ENDURING ALL BAD AND ALL GOOD
  46. LEARNING IS REMEMBERING
  47. THE SOUL HAS A HIDDEN TREASURE WITHIN IT. WELL GUIDED, DISCOVERS ITS TREASURES
  48. VIRTUE IS RIGHT BELIEF THAT COMES FROM GOD
  49. THE SOUL IS IMMORTAL AND KNOWS ALL
  50. VIRTUE IS A DIVINE GIFT
  51. BEAUTY IS A NATURAL ADVANTAGE
  52. MUSIC AND GYMNASTICS ARE GOD'S GIFTS TO MAN
  53. WOMEN AMONG THE WISE SHOULD BE COMMON AND EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ANYONE
  54. SPERM IS SECRETED FROM THE BRAIN AND SPINE
  55. BEGINNING OF PHILOSOPHY IS ADMIRATION
  56. PHILOSOPHY IS THE HIGHEST KIND OF MUSIC
  57. IT IS NOT PERMITTED FOR ONE TO DO VIOLENCE AGAINST HIMSELF
  58. THE GODS ARE THE ONES WHO TAKE CARE AND WE HUMANS BELONG TO THEM
  59. AMONG FRIENDS EVERYTHING IS COMMON
  60. PLEASURE IS A TERRIBLE BAIT
  61. WHO COULD LIKE A CITY WITHOUT LAWS
  62. THE WORST FORM OF INJUSTICE IS FOR INJUSTICE TO BE LABELLED JUSTICE
  63. EITHER, NO ONE SHOULD HAVE CHILDREN OR, SHOULD SUFFER WITH THEM TRYING TO NOURISH AND EDUCATE THEM
  64. DON'T JUDGE ANYONE BEFORE HEARING BOTH SIDES
  65. YOU WILL DO MUCH GREATER GOOD IF YOU STOP THE LACK OF EDUCATION OF THE SOUL, THAN THE DISEASE OF THE BODY
  66. OF ALL PLEASURES, PRAISE IS THE SWEETEST
  67. IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE IN TO ONE WHO SPEAKS RIGHT
  68. WEALTH EXISTS TO SERVE THE BODY AND THE BODY TO SERVE THE SOUL
  69. THE COWARD HAS BEEN FREED FROM SHAME
  70. TO BE RULED BY PLEASURES IS DEBAUCHERY
  71. ALL EVIL IN ALL MEN HAS THEIR ROOT IN IGNORANCE
  72. THE SOUL IS FREED FROM THE BODY LIKE IT IS FREED FROM A BOND
  73. IT IS NOT ACCORDING TO THE DIVINE LAW TO ABUSE YOUR MOTHER OR FATHER
  74. LET NOONE IGNORANT OF GEOMETRY ENTER
  75. BOTH IN WAR AND IN COURT AND EVERYWHERE WE HAVE TO ACT, AS STATE AND COUNTRY DICTATE
  76. FOR THE ACQUISITION OF ESTATE, ALL THE WARS BETWEEN US HAPPEN
  77. EVERY KNOWLEDGE SEPARATED FROM VIRTUE IS LIKE FRAUD
  78. ALL LOVES ARE NOT BEAUTIFUL, NOR WORTH PRAISED, EXCEPT THAT WHICH LEADS TO GOOD
  79. HE WHO DOES NOT WRONG OTHERS HAS NO NEED OF ANY LAW
  80. MAN, IF TRAINED CORRECTLY, BECOMES THE MOST GENTLE AND TAME CREATURE, BUT IF HE DOES NOT RECEIVE SUFFICIENT AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, HE BECOMES THE WILDEST ANIMAL IN NATURE
  81. EDUCATION TAMES ALL
  82. ONE MAN WITH RIGHT JUDGMENT IS BETTER THAN A THOUSAND RECKLESS
  83. TO DEFEAT ONE'S SELF, THAT IS TO DOMINATE OVER ONE'S WEAKNESSES, IS THE FIRST AND BEST OF ALL VICTORIES
  84. THAT ONLY ONE SHOULD CONSIDER, WHICH OF THE TWO RIGHTEOUS OR, UNJUST DEEDS HE DOES, DEEDS OF A GOOD PERSON OR BAD
  85. IT IS NOT RIGHT NOT TO GIVE IN TO ONE WHO SPEAKS RIGHT
  86. EDUCATION FOR MORTALS IS A VERY GOOD ACQUISITION
  87. IF IT WAS NECESSARY TO WRONG OTHERS OR, TO BE WRONGED, I WOULD PREFER TO BE WRONGED THAN WRONG OTHERS
  88. WE SHOULD NOT RETURN INJUSTICE, NOR DO HARM, WHATEVER THE HARM THAT WAS DONE TO US
  89. YOU SHOULD NOT ONLY ACQUIRE THE GOODS, BUT ALSO USE THEM, BECAUSE NO BENEFIT ARISES FROM ACQUISITION ONLY
  90. IF MEN'S IDEAS OF THE GODS CHANGE, THE LAWS MUST CHANGE AS WELL
  91. JUSTICE BY ITS NATURE BENEFITS THE ONE WHO HAS IT
  92. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BECOME FRIENDS THOSE WHO WRONG WITH THOSE WHO DO NOT WRONG OTHERS
  93. IF KINGS DO NOT PHILOSOPHIZE, WE CANNOT BECOME FREE FROM EVIL
  94. LET EACH OF US SHOW HIS RESPECT TO HIS ELDER THROUGH DEEDS AND WORDS
  95. EVERY UNJUST PERSON IS NOT BECAUSE HE WANTS TO
  96. FOR THE REPUBLIC THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN PASSED LAWS
  97. LAWS ARE THE SOUL OF THE REPUBLIC
  98. WISDOM IS THE BEST OF ALL
  99. EXCESSIVE FREEDOM TURNS INTO EXCESSIVE SLAVERY FOR BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE REPUBLIC
  100. WE MUST CARE ABOUT THE TRUTH
  101. IT IS A SHAME FOR ONE NOT TO ADMIT THAT WISDOM AND SCIENCE ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF HUMAN THINGS
  102. ALL THE IMPORTANT IN THE WORLD ARE NOT IMMUTABLE
  103. NO ONE SHOULD BLAME THE OTHER
  104. IT IS EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO DO EVIL THAN GOOD
  105. IF WE ARE RIGHTEOUS WE WILL NOT BE PUNISHED BY THE GODS
  106. WHEN WE DIE, THE WORDS ABOUT US WILL STILL BE SPOKEN
  107. ALL THE GOLD UNDER AND ABOVE THE EARTH IS NOT WORTH AS MUCH AS VIRTUE
  108. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT GOD IS PROTECTING ME
  109. THE LORDS WHEN THEY LEGISLATE, SOMETIMES THEY LEGISLATE CORRECTLY, SOMETIMES NOT
  110. EVERYONE ADMITS THAT PRUDENCE IS TO BE MASTER OF ONE'S PLEASURES AND DESIRES
  111. IT IS VERY PLEASANT IN LIFE THAT EACH ONE BE BUSY WITH HIS OWN AFFAIRS
  112. IT IS NOT NATURAL FOR THE WISE TO VISIT THE HOUSES OF THE RICH
  113. WE SHOULD NOT CONCERN OURSELVES WITH WHAT THE MANY WILL SAY ABOUT US, BUT WHAT HE WILL SAY WHO KNOWS WELL WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS UNJUST
  114. ENVY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GODS
  115. FARMING PROVIDES THE REPUBLIC'S MOST BRAVE AND COURAGEOUS CITIZENS
  116. IN NO WAY SHOULD WE WRONG OTHERS
  117. FORCED KNOWLEDGE IS NOT RETAINED BY MEMORY
  118. NOT ONLY CAN THE OLD MAN BECOME TWICE A CHILD, BUT ALSO THE DRUNK
  119. NO LITIGATION IS MALICIOUS IF IT IS DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW
  120. MANY STATES LIKE SHIPS THAT SINK WERE DESTROYED AND LOST AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF THE VICIOUSNESS OF GOVERNORS AND SAILORS
  121. FEAR IS NOT CAUSED BY WHAT HAPPENED NOR THE EVIL PRESENT, BUT WHAT WE WAIT FOR
  122. IF WE ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, WE WILL PROSPER
  123. SCIENCE IS CREATOR OF BLISS
  124. THERE IS NO GREATER SHAME ON A MAN WHO BRAGGS, THAN TO ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE HONORED, NOT FOR HIS OWN ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT FOR THE GLORY OF HIS ANCESTORS
  125. IT'S GOOD TO SAY THE GOOD THINGS TWO AND THREE TIMES
  126. HE WHO WANTS TO BE REALLY RICH, INSTEAD OF MAKING HIS PROPERTY GREATER, LET HIM MAKE HIS GREED SMALLER
  127. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR TWO BAD MEN TO BE FRIENDS, NOR FOR A GOOD ONE NOT TO HAVE A GOOD FRIEND
  128. AS WOLVES LOVE SHEEP, SO MALE LOVERS LOVE THEIR FEMALE LOVERS
  129. EVERY MAN, WHEN HE COMES INTO CONTACT WITH LOVE, BECOMES A POET
  130. MEN CALLED LOVE WINGED, BECAUSE IT HAS WINGS. HOWEVER, THE GODS NAMED HIM LIKE THIS BECAUSE HE HAS THE POWER TO GIVE WINGS
  131. LOVE IS A MIXTURE OF HONEY AND BILE. SOMETIMES SWEET, SOMETIMES BITTER
  132. THE GOAL OF LIFE IS NOT TO BE LONG, BUT TO BE LIVED WELL
  133. THE FIRST OF ALL GOODS IS HEALTH, THE SECOND IS MENTAL BEAUTY AND THE THIRD IS TO GET RICH WITHOUT DECEPTION
  134. GOD CARES FOR US BECAUSE WE HUMANS ARE HIS CREATURES TOO
  135. LET US NOT GET ANGRY AND LET US KEEP IN MIND THAT GOD SEES US EVERYWHERE
  136. LET PEOPLE OF EVERY CLASS, WHETHER NOVICES OR NOT, TRIUMPHING OR NOT, DO THEIR DUTY AND BE SUFFICIENT WITH IT
  137. THE VERY GOOD AND THE VERY BAD ARE FEW. THE MOST ARE THE AVERAGES, THOSE WHO ARE A LITTLE BAD AND A LITTLE GOOD
  138. THE REPUBLIC IS FOOD OF THE PEOPLE, GOOD FOR THE GOOD, BAD FOR THE BAD
  139. WHAT OPINION COULD BE MORE OFFENSIVE THAN THINKING THAT SOMEONE PREFERS MONEY TO FRIENDS
  140. KINDNESS HAS A GREATER EXTENT THAN JUSTICE, YET WE ARE OBLIGED TO OBSERVE THE COMMANDS OF THE LAW AND THE RULES OF JUSTICE IN OUR DEALINGS WITH PEOPLE
  141. FEELINGS OF KINDNESS AND CHARITY SPRING FROM THE BREASTS OF THE GOOD, AS FROM A RICH FOUNTAIN
  142. OLIGARCY: A FORM OF GOVERNMENT, BASED ON THE VALUE OF PROPERTY, AND IN WHICH THE RICH HAS ALL THE POWER AND THE POOR HAS NONE
  143. A GOVERNOR OR, COMMANDER WHO IS DRUNK, OVERTHROWS EVERYTHING, SHIPS, CHARIOT, CAMP, OR WHATEVER HE COMMANDS
  144. THE CHILD IS THE MOST DIFFICULT TO HANDLE OF ALL THE BEASTS, BECAUSE UNTIL HIS MENTAL POWERS ARE SUFFICIENTLY DEVELOPED, IT BECOMES MORE WILD, MORE AGGRESSIVE AND MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE BEASTS. THAT'S WHY IT HAS TO BE TAMED
  145. USUALLY, EVERYONE'S CHARACTER IS FORMED ACCORDING TO THEIR DESIRES AND MENTAL MOODS
  146. HE WHO KNOWS HIS BODY KNOWS THOSE BELONGING TO IT, BUT NOT HIS OWN SELF
  147. WE SHOULD NOT CONSIDER WHO SAID SOMETHING BUT IF WHAT IS SAID IS TRUE OR FALSE
  148. WISDOM AND SELF-KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWING WHAT ONE KNOWS AND WHAT HE DOESN'T KNOW
  149. IT IS DIFFICULT AND VERY PRAISEFUL TO LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY WHEN ONE HAS THE POWER TO WRONG OTHERS
  150. THE CREATOR AND FATHER OF THE UNIVERSE IS DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE TO DISCOVER, AND IF DISCOVERED, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DISCLOSE THAT TO OTHERS
  151. YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO ACCUSE OR PRAISE A PERSON, LEST YOU MAKE A MISTAKE
  152. GIRLS SHOULD EXERCISE IN EVERYTHING JUST LIKE BOYS. AND I HAVE NO HESITATION ABOUT RIDING OR GYMNASTICS, BECAUSE IT IS THOUGHT THAT THOSE ARE FOR MEN AND NOT FOR WOMEN
  153. POLITICS, WHICH IS A TRUE ART, SHOULD NOT CONSIDER THE INDIVIDUAL INTEREST, BUT THE COMMON INTEREST, BECAUSE THE COMMON INTEREST UNITES, WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL DIVIDES THE CITIES.
  154. TO BOTH THE CITY AND THE INDIVIDUAL IT IS MORE IN THEIR INTEREST TO ESTABLISH THE COMMON INTEREST RATHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL ONE
  155. LYING IS HATED BY BOTH GODS AND MEN
  156. MUSIC IS A MORAL LAW. IT ANIMATES THE UNIVERSE, ELEVATES THE IMAGINATION, DESTROYES BAD MOOD, GIVES JOY TO LIFE. IT IS THE ESSENCE OF ORDER AND LEADS TO WHAT IS GOOD, FAIR AND BEAUTIFUL
  157. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN GOOD LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC, BECAUSE THEN BOTH THE POOR AND THE RICH ARE EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW, AND WHEN THE POOR IS RIGHT, HE OVERCOMES THE RICH
  158. IT IS NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE TO SET LAWS AND LIVE ACCORDING TO THEM. OTHERWISE, HUMANS ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM WILD BEASTS
  159. THE LAW HAS AS ITS MISSION TO LEAD PEOPLE TO THE RIGHT PATH, AS THE LINES IN SCRIPTURE LEAD LITTLE CHILDREN IN WRITING
  160. FRIENDS' TRUE CHARACTER IS REVEALED IN QUARREL AND WINE
  161. IT'S NOT STRANGE THAT GOOD CHILDREN COME FROM BAD PARENTS, AND BAD CHILDREN FROM GOOD PARENTS
  162. WHEN THE ELDERS ARE SHAMELESS, THE YOUNG ARE EVEN MORE SHAMELESS
  163. THE ENVIOUS SLANDERS OTHERS AND POISONS COMPETITORS WITH UNFAIR ACCUSATIONS
  164. THE LOVE OF MONEY LEADS MAN TO HAVING NO TIME FOR ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT THE ACCUMULATION OF PROPERTY, TO WHICH HIS ENTIRE SOUL IS DEVOTED, AND OUTSIDE OF DAILY PROFIT, NO OTHER THOUGHT OCCUPIES HIS MIND