Socrates was a great ancient Greek philosopher. He received education in subjects like geometry and mathematics etc. The accumulation and sharing of knowledge were the main goals of his life. He said,
“True knowledge is possible provided we make a reasonable effort for it. There is nothing as pure as knowledge.”
He believed in not believing anything blindly and encouraged others to think logically. He considered himself a citizen of the world. Socrates also used to criticize religiously and politically. Socrates tried to bring about a change in Western civilization with his ideas. His ideas and logics were contrary to the society and governance of that time, and religious people did not like it.
His opponents falsely accused him of spoiling the youth and being an atheist, and for that, he was punished with poison to death. Socrates, without hesitation, drank the poison. Before his last breath, Socrates described his death as the release of the soul from the body.
Socrates was simple in appearance but believed that good deeds are true beauty. Socrates was a teacher who gave great people to society through his higher teachings. We should try to adopt some of his teachings in our life. Socrates’ quotes are one of the ways to do so. Without further ado, I want to share some of the famous Socrates quotes with you all.
Here are 49 of the most famous Socrates’ quotes to enlighten yourself. I believe these Socrates’ quotes will direct you towards the ultimate truth of life.
49 Most Enlightening Socrates’ Quotes To Learn The Ultimate Truth
- “Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” –Socrates
- “Be slow to fall into friendship, but when you are in, continue firm and constant.” –Socrates
- “The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” –Socrates
- “There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.” –Socrates
- “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” –Socrates
- “Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.” –Socrates
- “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” –Socrates
- “I don’t care what people say about me. I do care about my mistakes.” –Socrates
- “Understanding a question is half an answer.” –Socrates
- “Do not do to others what angers you if done to you by others.” –Socrates
- “There is no possession more valuable than a good and faithful friend.” –Socrates
- “Get not your friends by bare compliments, but by giving them sensible tokens of your love.” –Socrates
- “Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue-to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.” –Socrates
- “Envy is the ulcer of the soul.” –Socrates
- “Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding onto.” –Socrates
- “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” –Socrates
- “To find yourself, think for yourself.” –Socrates
- “Only the extremely ignorant or the extremely intelligent can resist change.” –Socrates
- “We can do nothing without the body, let us always take care that it is in the best condition to sustain us.” –Socrates
- “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” –Socrates
- “I am a citizen, not of Athens, or Greece, but of the world.” –Socrates
- “The easiest and noblest way is not to be crushing others, but to be improving yourselves.” –Socrates
- “Be as you wish to seem.” –Socrates
- “Death may be the greatest of all human blessings.” –Socrates
- “Wealth does not bring about excellence, but excellence brings about wealth and all other public and private blessings.” –Socrates
- “I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.” –Socrates
- “Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.” –Socrates
- “Better to do a little well, then a great deal badly.” –Socrates
- “Do not be angry with me if I tell you the truth” –Socrates
- “Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.” –Socrates
- “I know you won’t believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.” –Socrates
- “True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.” –Socrates
- “To move the world we must move ourselves.” –Socrates
- “If you want to be wrong then follow the masses.” –Socrates
- “False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.” –Socrates
- “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.” –Socrates
- “Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults.” –Socrates
- “I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.” –Socrates
- “Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.” –Socrates
- “From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate.” –Socrates
- “Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.” –Socrates
- “A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.” –Socrates
- “In every person, there is a sun. Just let them shine” –Socrates.
- “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is a habit.” –Socrates
- “I am a fool, but I know I’m a fool and that makes me smarter than you.” –Socrates
- “Awareness of ignorance is the beginning of wisdom.” –Socrates
- “The unexamined life is not worth living.” –Socrates
- “If what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all.” –Socrates
- “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” –Socrates
