Life Quotes, page 139

“When does the soul obtain truth?—for in attempting to consider anything in company with the body she is obviously deceived.”

“The body is a source of endless trouble to us by reason of the mere requirement of food; and is also liable to diseases which overtake and impede us in the search after truth.”

“Either knowledge is not to be attained at all, or if at all, after death.”

“For no impure thing is allowed to approach the pure.”

“And will he who is a true lover of wisdom, and is persuaded in like manner that only in the world below can he worthily enjoy her, still repine at death? Will he not depart with joy?”

“There is a virtue, Simmias, which is named courage. Is not that a special attribute of the philosopher?”

“Is there not one true coin, for which all things ought to exchange?—and that is wisdom”

“The seen is the changing, and the unseen is the unchanging.”

“And this state of the soul is called wisdom.”

“He who is a philosopher or lover of learning, and is entirely pure at departing, is alone permitted to reach the gods.”

“Never fear, Simmias and Cebes, that a soul which has been thus nurtured and has had these pursuits, will at her departure from the body be scattered and blown away by the winds and be nowhere and nothing.”

“If the immortal is also imperishable, the soul when attacked by death cannot perish”

“There is no release or salvation from evil except the attainment of the highest virtue and wisdom.”

“Be of good cheer then, my good Crito, and say that you are burying my body only, and do with that as is usual, and as you think best.”

“I may and I must pray to the gods to prosper my journey from this to that other world—may this, then, which is my prayer, be granted to me.”

“I have heard that a man should die in peace. Be quiet then, and have patience.”

“There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse.”

“By means of beauty all beautiful things become beautiful.”

“He who has lived as a true philosopher has reason to be of good cheer when he is about to die, and that after death he may hope to receive the greatest good in the other world.”

“Crito, Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius. Pay it and do not neglect it.”

“The being of all virtues, and chiefly of temperance, depends on the practice of them.”

“You will know that the divine is so great and of such a nature that it sees and hears everything at once, is present everywhere, and is concerned with everything.”

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

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

“Base men live to eat and drink, and good men eat and drink to live.”

“I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.”

“How many things I have no need of!”

“How many things I can do without!”

“The man who eats with the greatest appetite has the least need of delicacies.”

“He who drinks with the greatest appetite is the least inclined to look for a draught which is not at hand.”