Socrates Quotes

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

"I do not suppose I know what I do not know."

"To fear death is only to think you know what you do not know."

"Virtue does not come from money, but from virtue come money and every other good of man."

"I am a gadfly, given to the state by God."

"One must not care for money or anything else before caring for the soul."

"Not living, but living well, is what we ought to value most."

"One must never return a wrong for a wrong, nor harm anyone, whatever harm one has suffered."

"I would rather die having spoken after my manner than speak in your manner and live."

"The difficulty, my friends, is not in avoiding death, but in avoiding unrighteousness."

"To do injustice is more shameful than to suffer it."

"I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only make them think."

"Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder."

"I am a lover of knowledge, and the men who dwell in the city are my teachers, and not the trees or the country."

"Wealth does not bring about excellence, but excellence makes wealth and everything else good for men."

"He is the wisest who, like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is worth little or nothing."

"I would rather suffer anything than speak what I do not believe."

"The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways—I to die, and you to live. Which is better, God only knows."

"No evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death."

"To live well, or beautifully, or justly, are all the same."

"One should never do wrong in return, nor mistreat any person, no matter how one has been mistreated."

"I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world."

"The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being."

"Be slow to fall into friendship, but when you are in, continue firm and constant."

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil."

"All men's souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal and divine."

"From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hatred."

"By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher."

"To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge."

"Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity."

"To fear death is only another form of thinking that one is wise when one is not."

"I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing."

"An unexamined belief may prevent us from discovering the truth."

"Care more for the truth than for what people think."

"To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge."

"I am not only not a citizen of Athens or Greece, but a citizen of the world."

"One must obey the laws of the city while continuing to seek what is just."

"I would rather suffer injustice than commit injustice."

"The soul should be cared for more than the body or possessions."

"Philosophy is the practice of questioning what we believe we understand."

"The good life is one guided by wisdom, justice, and virtue."

"Just as those who do not train the body cannot perform its functions, those who do not train the soul cannot perform the functions of the soul."

"To forget good counsel is to forget the experiences that taught the soul to desire self-control."

"Self-control is the foundation of all virtue."

"Though pleasure is often treated as the goal of life, nothing produces lasting pleasure more surely than self-control."

"The delights of learning something good and excellent are among the greatest pleasures."

"Socrates was so useful in all circumstances and in all ways that his companions benefited from his presence."

"Those who know what a thing is can explain it to others; those who do not know may mislead themselves and others."

"Education can make people happier in themselves and more capable of bringing happiness to their families and communities."

"People should strive to escape becoming slaves to their own pleasures."

"Do not care for money or anything else before caring for the soul."

"One must not care for money or anything else before caring for virtue."

"Even when wronged, one must not do wrong in return or harm anyone."

"To have no wants at all is, to my mind, an attribute of Godhead."

"It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of person you may become."

"Though pleasure is often treated as life's goal, nothing produces pleasure more surely than self-control."

"It is a disgrace to grow old through carelessness before discovering what kind of person you are capable of becoming."

"I was never acquainted with anyone who took greater care to find out what each of his companions knew."

"A man who is a slave to his pleasures is in an evil plight, body and soul alike."

"Just as poetry is forgotten unless it is often repeated, instruction fades from the mind when it is no longer heeded."

"The person who acts with self-control can enjoy pleasures that the uncontrolled person cannot truly appreciate."

"Life would be unlivable if we could no longer learn, understand, or remember."

"It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before discovering what kind of person you may become."

"Those who know what they are doing can explain their knowledge to others."

"Education makes people happier in themselves and more capable of bringing happiness to others."

"Many people are ruined by wealth, while others are corrupted by power and reputation."

"Do not neglect the care of your soul while pursuing the pleasures of the body."

"True friendship grows between people who value goodness and wisdom."

"Education would make people happy in themselves, successful in managing their households, and capable of bringing happiness to others and to their communities."

"The more highly gifted a person is, the greater the need for education."

"Those who are naturally talented, if educated and taught their duty, can become excellent and useful people."

"Without knowledge to discern their duty, people may use their abilities for harmful purposes."

"Only a fool thinks it possible to distinguish between what is useful and harmful without learning."

"Whatever a well-educated person ought to know, Socrates taught as zealously as his own knowledge allowed."

"If he was not familiar with a subject, he took his companions to those who knew it."

"Those who wish to become skilled in an art must learn from competent teachers."

"It is absurd to imagine that the art of statesmanship can be mastered without training or study."

"People who want to become excellent speakers should not expect to succeed without practice and instruction."

"Just as the body must be trained to perform its functions, the soul must also be trained to perform its own."

"Just as poetry is forgotten unless it is repeated, instruction fades from the mind when it is no longer heeded."

"Education helps people manage their affairs, serve their friends, and contribute to their community."

"Learning should be pursued to the point where it becomes useful in practical life."

"Those who pride themselves on their knowledge should be willing to learn from others."

"Natural ability alone does not guarantee good judgment; it needs education and training."

"People who avoid learning cannot expect to become competent merely through confidence."

"A well-educated person should understand both what is worth learning and how far to pursue a subject."

"Education makes people happier in themselves and better able to bring happiness to their families and communities."

"The greater a person's natural gifts, the greater is the need for education."

"Those who are naturally talented can become excellent and useful people when they are educated and taught their duties."

"Whatever it befits a well-educated person to know, one should study with care, and seek a capable teacher when necessary."