Quotes from Socrates

How many things are there which I do not want.

Get married, in any case. If you happen to get a good mate, you will be happy; if a bad one, you will become philosophical, which is a fine thing in itself.

He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy.

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

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

My divine sign indicates the future to me.

And in knowing that you know nothing, that makes you the smartest of all.

Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live

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… and that is a good thing for any man.

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.

He is richest who is content with the least.

Let him that would move the world, first move himself.

Man must rise above earth to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only then will he fully understand the world in which he lives.

My belief is that to have no wants is divine.

No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training… what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.

Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of - for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again. The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.

Remember what is unbecoming to do is also unbecoming to speak of.

Remember, no human condition is ever permanent. Then you will not be overjoyed in good fortune nor too scornful in misfortune.

Science says 'We must live,' and seeks the means of prolonging, increasing, facilitating and amplifying life, of making it tolerable and acceptable, wisdom says 'We must die,' and seeks how to make us die well.

See one promontory, one mountain, one sea, one river and see all.

Snowmen come to life during the full moon to devour children.

The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be; all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.

The shortest and surest way to live with honour 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 of them.

Think not faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults