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.

Works

• Apology of Socrates
• Symposium
• Laws
• Republic
• Phaedrus
• Timo
• Critias
• Theaetetus
• Protagoras
• Gorgias
• Sophist
• Political
• Philevus
• Parmenides
• Cratelus
• Phaedo
• Eythedemus
• Menexenus
• Laches
• Lysis
• Alceviades
• Lovers
• Eythyphro
• Crito
• Ion
• Hippias major
• Hippias minor
• Hipparchus
• Theages
• Charmides
• Meno
• Cleitophon
• Mino
• Epinomis
• Terms
• Adulterated
• Letters

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