Philosophical literature

Explore 632 quotes from the following genre: Philosophical literature

There is no great genius without some touch of madness.

Aristotle

Quoted in On the Tranquility of the Mind, by Seneca the Younger

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Topic

Genius and insanity Genius Insanity

Speaker

Aristotle

Author

Seneca the Younger

Source

On the Tranquility of the Mind

Medium

Essay

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

60 60s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Seneca the Younger. De Tranquillitate Animi [On the Tranquility of the Mind]. c. 60.

Current Citation

Seneca the Younger. "On Tranquility of Mind." Moral Essays. Vol. 2, Harvard University Press, 1963.

To fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise: for it is to think that we know what we do not know.

Socrates

Quoted in Apology, by Plato

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Topic

Fear of death The unknown Ignorance Death The afterlife

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Apology

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους [Apology of Socrates]. Speech of legal self-defence which Socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption. 399 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Plato. "Apology." Plato: Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2017.

Riches, knowledge and honour are but several sorts of power.

Thomas Hobbes

Leviathan

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Topic

Nature of power Power Wealth Knowledge Recognition

Author

Thomas Hobbes

Source

Leviathan

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

English

Time

1651 1650s 17th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil. London: Andrew Crooke, 1651, pt. 1, ch. 4.

Current Citation

Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan, edited by Christopher Brooke. Penguin Classics, 2017, pt. 1, ch. 4.

The people have always some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness. This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector.

Socrates

Quoted in Republic, by Plato

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Topic

Tyranny Decline of democracy

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Republic

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

375 BC 370s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Πολιτεία [Republic], written by Plato. c. 375 BCE.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Republic, written by Plato, translated by Desmond Lee. Penguin Classics, 2007.

At fifteen my mind was set on learning. At thirty my character had been formed. At forty I had no more perplexities. At fifty I knew the Mandate of Heaven. At sixty I was at ease with whatever I heard. At seventy I could follow my heart's desire without transgressing moral principles.

Confucius

Quoted in Analects

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Topic

Stages of life

Speaker

Confucius

Source

Analects

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Chinese

Time

221 BC 220s BC 3rd century BC

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Confucius. 論語 [The Analects]. c. 479 BCE.

Current Citation

Confucius. The Analects, edited and translated by Annping Chin. Penguin Classics, 2014.

It is much safer to be feared than loved.

Niccolo Machiavelli

The Prince

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Topic

Love and fear Fear in politics Leadership Politics

Author

Niccolo Machiavelli

Source

The Prince

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Italian

Time

1527 1520s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Machiavelli, Niccolò. Il Principe [The Prince]. Rome: Antonio Blado d'Asola, 1532.

Current Citation

Machiavelli, Nicolò. The Prince, translated by Peter Bondanella. Oxford University Press, 2005.

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

Socrates

Quoted in Phaedo, by Plato

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Topic

Consequences of lying Lying

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Phaedo

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

360 BC 360s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Φαίδων [Phaedo], written by Plato. c. 360 BC.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in "Phaedo." Plato: Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo, written by Plato, translated by G. M. A. Grube and John M. Cooper. Hackett Publishing, 2002.

The country places and the trees won't teach me anything, and the people in the city do.

Socrates

Quoted in Phaedrus, by Plato

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Topic

Rural vs. urban Cities

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Phaedrus

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

370 BC 370s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Φαῖδρος [Phaedrus], written by Plato. c. 370 BC.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in "Phaedrus." Plato: Lysis; Symposium; Phaedrus, written by Plato, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2022.

When the tyrant has disposed for foreign enemies by conquest or treaty, and there is nothing to fear from them, then he is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader.

Socrates

Quoted in Republic, by Plato

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Topic

Tyrants Political theory

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Republic

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

375 BC 370s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Πολιτεία [Republic], written by Plato. c. 375 BCE.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Republic, written by Plato, translated by Desmond Lee. Penguin Classics, 2007.

For it is commonly said: completed labors are pleasant.

Cicero

De Finibus

More information about this quote

Topic

Finishing a task Work

Author

Cicero

Source

De Finibus

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

45 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. De finibus bonorum et malorum [On the ends of good and evil]. c. 45 BCE, bk. 2, ch. 32, sect. 105.

Virtue does not come from money, but from virtue comes money and all other good things to man, both to the individual and to the state.

Socrates

Quoted in Apology, by Plato

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Topic

Virtue Money

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Apology

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους [Apology of Socrates]. Speech of legal self-defence which Socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption. 399 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Plato. "Apology." Plato: Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2017.

He [the prince] holds to what is right when he can but knows how to do wrong when he must.

Niccolo Machiavelli

The Prince

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Topic

Moral relativism Expediency Political theory

Author

Niccolo Machiavelli

Source

The Prince

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Italian

Time

1532 1530s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Machiavelli, Niccolò. Il Principe [The Prince]. Rome: Antonio Blado d'Asola, 1532.

Current Citation

Machiavelli, Nicolò. The Prince, translated by Peter Bondanella. Oxford University Press, 2005.

Mankind have been created for the sake of one another.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

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Topic

Interconnectedness of all people Man as social animal

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 8.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 8.

So long as the great majority of men are not deprived of either property or honour, they are satisfied.

Niccolo Machiavelli

The Prince

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Topic

The masses Human nature

Author

Niccolo Machiavelli

Source

The Prince

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Italian

Time

1532 1530s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Machiavelli, Niccolò. Il Principe [The Prince]. Rome: Antonio Blado d'Asola, 1532.

Current Citation

Machiavelli, Nicolò. The Prince, translated by Peter Bondanella. Oxford University Press, 2005.

Love the little trade which you have learned, and be content with it.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

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Topic

Vocation Doing a good job Doing one's job

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 4.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 4.

Even when laws have been written down, they ought not always to remain unaltered.

Aristotle

Politics

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Topic

Legal theory Law

Author

Aristotle

Source

Politics

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Politics. 4th century BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Politics, translated by R. F. Stalley and Sir Ernest Barker. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

What is not good for the swarm is not good for the bee.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

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Topic

Individual vs. the collective

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 6.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 6.

One might perhaps say that this very thing is probable, that many things happen to men that are not probable.

Agathon

Quoted in Rhetoric, by Aristotle

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Topic

Probability The human condition

Speaker

Agathon

Author

Aristotle

Source

Rhetoric

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Irony Paradox

Language

Greek

Time

4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Agathon. Quoted in Ῥητορική [Rhetoric], written by Aristotle. c. 350 BC.

Current Citation

Agathon. Quoted in Rhetoric, written by Aristotle, translated by W. Rhys Roberts. Dover Publications, 2004.

Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.

Niccolo Machiavelli

The Prince

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Topic

Guns

Author

Niccolo Machiavelli

Source

The Prince

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Italian

Time

1532 1530s 16th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Machiavelli, Niccolò. Il Principe [The Prince]. Rome: Antonio Blado d'Asola, 1532.

Current Citation

Machiavelli, Nicolò. The Prince, translated by Peter Bondanella. Oxford University Press, 2005.

There is no such thing as absolute certainty, but there is assurance sufficient for the purposes of human life.

John Stuart Mill

On Liberty

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Topic

Certainty

Author

John Stuart Mill

Source

On Liberty

Medium

Essay

Genre

Philosophical literature Political literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty. London: J.W. Parker and Son, 1859, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Mill, John Stuart. "On Liberty." On Liberty, Utilitarianism and Other Essays, edited by Mark Philp and Frederick Rosen. Oxford University Press, 2015, ch. 1.