Plato
Greek philosopher of the Classical period, student of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, and founder of the Academy in Athens (c. 387 BCE) — the institution that would shape Western philosophy for nine hundred years. Born around 428/427 BCE into an aristocratic Athenian family, Plato came of age in a city traumatized by the Peloponnesian War, and was deeply marked by the trial and execution of Socrates in 399 BCE. From the establishment of the Academy onward, he wrote the dialogues that have been read continuously for two and a half millennia — the Apology, Phaedo, Symposium, Phaedrus, Meno, Republic, Theaetetus, Timaeus, Sophist, Statesman, Philebus, Laws, and dozens of others — through which he developed the Theory of Forms, the tripartite soul, the cardinal virtues, the philosopher-king, the allegory of the cave, the chariot of the soul, and the doctrine of recollection. Whitehead's quip that 'all of Western philosophy is footnotes to Plato' is, if anything, an understatement. He died in Athens around 348/347 BCE.
114
quotes in library
Quotes by Plato
114 quotes“Until philosophers rule as kings, or those now called kings and chief men become genuine philosophers, cities will have no rest from evils.”
philosopher-kingRepublic Book V
“Nor will the human race.”
philosopher-kingRepublic Book V
“This is the most important truth in political philosophy.”
truthRepublic Book V
“Justice is the harmony of the soul.”
justiceRepublic Book IV
“It is each part of the soul performing its proper function in proper relation to the others.”
justiceRepublic Book IV
“Reason rules. Spirit defends. Appetite obeys.”
reasonRepublic Book IV
“In a just soul, the parts cooperate.”
justiceRepublic Book IV
“In an unjust soul, they war against each other.”
unjustRepublic Book IV
“What is true of the soul is true of the city.”
soulRepublic Book IV
“And what is true of the city is true of the soul.”
cityRepublic Book IV
“This is the central insight of the Republic.”
republicRepublic
“The soul is like a charioteer with two horses — one noble, one base.”
soulPhaedrus
“The noble horse pulls toward the heavens.”
noblePhaedrus
“The base horse pulls toward the earth.”
basePhaedrus
“The charioteer must train both, and direct them together.”
charioteerPhaedrus
“Otherwise, the chariot is torn apart.”
chariotPhaedrus
“Eros is the longing of the soul for the beautiful.”
erosSymposium
“From the love of one beautiful body, to all beautiful bodies.”
ladderSymposium
“From bodies, to beautiful souls.”
ladderSymposium
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