Plato (circa 427 – 347 B.C.E.) was an Athenian philosopher during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. The exact time and place of Plato’s birth are unknown, but based on ancient sources, most modern scholars believe that he was born in Athens or Aegina between 429 and 423 B.C.E. Plato may have traveled in Italy, Sicily, Egypt and Cyrene. Said to have returned to Athens at the age of 40, there Plato founded one of the earliest known organized schools in Western Civilization, the Academy. He is widely considered the pivotal figure in the history of Ancient Greek and Western philosophy, along with his teacher, Socrates, and his most famous student, Aristotle.
Quotes by Plato…
Let him know how to choose the mean and avoid the extremes on either side, as far as possible, not only in this life but in all that which is to come. For this is the way of happiness.
Renouncing the honors at which the world aims, I desire only to know the truth… and to the maximum of my power, I exhort all other men to do the same.
You will never come to harm in the practice of virtue.
The most virtuous of all men is he who contents himself with being virtuous without seeking to appear so.
Truth is the source of every good thing in heaven and on earth. He who expects to be blessed and fortunate in this world should be a partaker of truth.
He who commits injustice is made more wretched than he who suffers it.
Ignorance is the root of misfortune.
Excellent things are rare.
Self-conquest is the greatest of victories.
There is nothing so delightful as the hearing or the speaking of truth. For this reason, there is no conversation so agreeable as that of a man of integrity, who hears without any intention to betray, and speaks without any intention to deceive.