Plato was an ordinary child, born into a noble family nearly 2.500 years ago. Growing up in Athens, Greece during the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War, Plato chose the noblest of all professions in his adult years: teaching. He focused on building the key notions of philosophy and ethics. Where other Greek philosophers preceding him sought to classify actions under certain labels, Plato’s goal was to realistically define them, and he did, with such key concepts as equality, justice, and beauty being his major contributions. In his time, he shared many golden nuggets of brilliance on almost every topic imaginable. Here are 25 inspirational quotes that will give your philosophical muscles a real boost.
1. On faith
"We are twice armed if we fight with faith "
2. On honing your skills
"Excellence is not a gift, but a skill that takes practice. We do not act ‘rightly’ because we are ‘excellent’, in fact, we achieve ‘excellence’ by acting ‘rightly."
3. On politics
“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
4. On speaking the truth
"No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth."
5. On Dancing
"The Dance, of all the arts, is the one that most influences the soul. Dancing is divine in its nature and is the gift of God."
6. On Reality
"Reality is created by the mind, we can change our reality by changing our mind."
7. On the Sources of Civilization
"Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge."
8. On Singing
"Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song."
9. On the Definition of ‘thinking’
"Thinking is the talking of the soul with itself."
10. On Honesty
"There is truth in wine and children."
11. On the Law
"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws"
12. On Wealth
"The greatest wealth is to live content with little."
13. On Gratitude
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"When you feel grateful, you become great, and eventually attract great things."
14. On Physical Fitness
"Physical excellence does not of itself produce a good mind and character: on the other hand, excellence of mind and character will make the best of the physique it is given."
15. On Progress
“Never discourage anyone...who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.”
16. On Powerful People
“The measure of a man is what he does with power.”
17. On the True Pleasures of Life
"The more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm of conversation."
18. On Learning
“Education is teaching our children to desire the right things.”
19. On Categorizing Society
"There are three classes of men; lovers of wisdom, lovers of honor, and lovers of gain."
20. On the Presence of People.
"People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die. "
21. On Never-Ending Battles
"Only the dead have seen the end of war."
22. On Rage
"There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot."
23. On Obtaining Knowledge
"Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind."
24. On Medicine
"The greatest mistake physicians make is that they attempt to cure the body without attempting to cure the mind, yet the mind and the body are one and should not be treated separately!"
25. On Determination in the Face of Judgment
"I will prove by my life that my critics are liars."
