statue of socrates in front of the academy of athens (photo from wikipedia by eugenio hansen)
socrates (469 bc โ 399 bc) was a greek athenian philosopher and mystic. socrates is considered as one of the founders of western philosophy. only reliable source for socrates sayings is mainly from the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students plato and xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary aristophanes.
socrates encouraged young people of athens to inquire about truth. youth of athens were very attracted to socrates teachings, which the society and parents didn’t liked. slowly general publicย became more intolerant of socrates teachings and decided to take him to court. socrates was taken to court on the charges of inciting and spoiling the mind of youths. court gave death sentence to socrates which means he has to drink poison. socrates gladly drank the poision as he wanted to live a life of honesty and truthfulness. socrates gave highest regard to truth, even higher than life.
socrates quotes:
1. do not be angry with me if i tell you the truth.
2. wonder is the beginning of wisdom.
3. i was really too honest a man to be a politician and live.
4. one thing only i know, and that is that i know nothing.
5. an unexamined life is not worth living.
6. may the outward and inward man be at one.
7. prefer knowledge to wealth, for the one is transitory, the other perpetual.
8. by all means marry; if you get a good wife, you’ll be happy. if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.
9. envy is the ulcer of the soul.
10. be slow to fall into friendship, but when you are in, continue firm and constant.
11. education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.
12. do not do to others what angers you if done to you by others.
13. i am not an athenian, nor a greek, but a citizen of the world.
14. employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have laboured hard for.
15. the greatest blessing granted to mankind come by way of madness, which is a divine gift.
16. the hour of departure has arrived, and we go our separate ways, i to die, and you to live. which of these two is better only god knows.
17.ย false words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.
18. true wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.
19. i realized that it was not by wisdom that poets write their poetry, but by a kind of nature or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets; for these also say many beautiful things, but do not know anything of what they say.
20. listen not to a tale-bearer or slanderer, for he tells you nothing out of good-will; but as he discovers of the secrets of others, so he will of yours in turn.
21. in all of us, even in good men, there is a lawless wild-beast nature, which peers out in sleep.
22. be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth, that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death.
23. think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults.
24. if all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and depart.
25. if you don’t get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don’t want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can’t hold on to it forever. your mind is your predicament. it wants to be free of change. free of pain, free of the obligations of life and death. but change is law and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.
26. esteemed friend, citizen of athens, the greatest city in the world, so outstanding in both intelligence and power, aren’t you ashamed to care so much to make all the money you can, and to advance your reputation and prestige–while for truth and wisdom and the improvement of your soul you have no care or worry?