All I know is that I do not know anything Socrates More Quotes by Socrates More Quotes From Socrates I must first know myself, as the Delphian inscription says; to be curious about that which is not my concern, while I am still in ignorance of my own self, would be ridiculous. And therefore I bid farewell to all this; the common opinion is enough for me. For, as I was saying, I want to know not about this, but about myself: am I a monster more complicated and swollen with passion than the serpent Typho, or a creature of a gentler and simpler sort, to whom Nature has given a diviner and lowlier destiny? Socrates passionfarewellignorance Wonder is the beginning of all wisdom. Socrates wonder The invention of writing will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory. Their trust in writing, produced by external characters which are no part of themselves, will discourage the use of their own memory within them. You have invented an elixir not of memory, but of reminding; and you offer your pupils the appearance of wisdom, not true wisdom. Socrates writingcharactermemories 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 assignmentsnamesmay The greatest of all mysteries is the man himself. Socrates mysteryhe-manmen Men of Athens, I honor and love you; but I shall obey God rather than you, and while I have life and strength I shall never cease from the practice and teaching of philosophy. Socrates teachinglove-youphilosophy It seems that God took away the minds of poets that they might better express His. Socrates poetmindmight Either I do not corrupt the young or, if I do, it is unwillingly. Socrates apologyifsyoung If you will be guided by me, you will make little account of Socrates, and much more of truth. Socrates accountstruthlittles One ought not to return injustice, nor do evil to anybody in the world, no matter what one may have suffered from them. Socrates evilmayworld Living or dead, to a good man there can come no evil. Socrates good-manevilmen As for me, all I know is I know nothing. Socrates knows Not by wisdom do they [poets] make what they compose, but by a gift of nature and an inspiration similar to that of the diviners and the oracles. Socrates oraclespoetinspiration In every sort of danger there are various ways of winning through, if one is ready to do and say anything whatever. Socrates winningsay-anythingway You are wrong, sir, if you think that a man who is any good at all should take into account the risk of life or death; he should look to this only in his actions, whether what he does is right or wrong, whether he is acting like a good or a bad man. Socrates apologymenthinking The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning, middle, and end of all things. Socrates beginning-middle-and-endsoullife It is not the purpose of a juryman's office to give justice as a favor to whoever seems good to him, but to judge according to law, and this he has sworn to do. Socrates apologylawgiving If thou continuous to take delight in idle argumentation thou mayest be qualified to combat with the sophists, but will never know how to live with men. Socrates delightopinionmen The partisan when he is engaged in a dispute, cares nothing about the rights of the question, but is anxious only to convince his hearers of his own assertions. Socrates carecaringrights Not I, but the city teaches. Socrates teachcities
