This discussion is not about any chance question, but about the way one should live.
—Socrates
Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.
—Socrates
Topics: Blessings, Prayer
If I can assign names as well as pictures to objects, the right assignment of them we may call truth, and the wrong assignment of them falsehood.
—Socrates
The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world, is to be in reality what we would appear to be; and if we observe, we shall find, that all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.
—Socrates
Topics: Sincerity, Honesty, Hypocrisy, Character, World
Wealth does not bring about excellence (aka Kindness, Virtue, Goodness), but excellence (aka Kindness, Virtue, Goodness) brings about wealth and all other public and private blessings for men.
—Socrates
Topics: Kindness, Goodness, Excellence, Action, Virtue
Happiness is unrepentant pleasure.
—Socrates
Topics: Happiness
Wisdom begins in wonder.
—Socrates
Topics: Wisdom
Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue-to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.
—Socrates
Topics: Listening
Ordinary people seem not to realize that those who really apply themselves in the right way to philosophy are directly and of their own accord preparing themselves for dying and death.
—Socrates
Topics: Philosophy
Such as thy words are, such will thine affections be esteemed; and such as thine affections, will be thy deeds; and such as thy deeds will be thy life.
—Socrates
Topics: Speech, Words, Talking
The comic and the tragic lie inseparably close, like light and shadow.
—Socrates
Topics: Humor
A man should inure himself to voluntary labor, and not give up to indulgence and pleasure, as they beget no good constitution of body nor knowledge of mind.
—Socrates
Topics: Industry
If thou take delight in idle argumentation, thou mayest be qualified to combat with the sophists, but will never know how to live with men.
—Socrates
To do is to be.
—Socrates
Topics: Doing, Secrets of Success
The beginning of wisdom is a definition of terms.
—Socrates
Topics: Wisdom
Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant.
—Socrates
Topics: Friends, Friendship
If a man would move the world, he must first move himself.
—Socrates
Topics: Secrets of Success
Fame is the perfume of heroic deeds.
—Socrates
Topics: Fame, One liners
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
—Socrates
Topics: Wisdom
When desire, having rejected reason and overpowered judgment which leads to right, is set in the direction of the pleasure which beauty can inspire, and when again under the influence of its kindred desires it is moved with violent motion towards the beauty of corporeal forms, it acquires a surname from this very violent motion, and is called love.
—Socrates
Topics: Love
I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.
—Socrates
Topics: Wisdom, Virtues, Knowledge
He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.
—Socrates
Topics: Riches, Contentment, Wealth
Get not your friends by bare compliments, but by giving them sensible tokens of your love. It is well worth while to learn how to win the heart of a man the right way. Force is of no use to make or preserve a friend, who is an animal that is never caught nor tamed but by kindness and pleasure. Excite them by your civilities, and show them that you desire nothing more than their satisfaction; oblige with all your soul that friend who has made you a present of his own.
—Socrates
Topics: Friendship
Listen not to a tale-bearer or slanderer, for he tells thee nothing out of good will; but as he discovereth of the secrets of others, so he will of thine in turn.
—Socrates
Topics: Slander
I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but and chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul. I tell you that virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue comes money, and every other good of man, public as well as private. This is my teaching, and if this is the doctrine which corrupts the youth, I am a mischievous person.
—Socrates
The rest of the world lives to eat, while I eat to live.
—Socrates
Topics: One liners, Weight
To fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise: for it is to think that we know what we do not know. For anything that men can tell, death may be the greatest good that can happen to them: but they fear it as if they knew quite well that it was the greatest of evils. And what is this but that shameful ignorance of thinking that we know what we do not know?
—Socrates
Topics: Death, Nature
Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.
—Socrates
Topics: Contentment, Luxury, One liners
Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions, but those who kindly reprove thy faults.
—Socrates
Topics: Correction, Praise, Reform, Criticism
I was really too honest a man to be a politician and live.
—Socrates
Topics: Politics
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Plato Ancient Greek Philosopher
Heraclitus Ancient Greek Philosopher
Epictetus Ancient Greek Philosopher
Aristotle Ancient Greek Philosopher
Pythagoras Greek Philosopher
Xenocrates Greek Philosopher, Scientist
Epicurus Greek Philosopher
Bias of Priene Greek Orator
Plotinus Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mystic
Nikos Kazantzakis Greek Novelist, Statesman