Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils.

ἐὰν μή, ἦν δ᾽ ἐγώ, ἢ οἱ φιλόσοφοι βασιλεύσωσιν ἐν

Socrates

Quoted in Republic, by Plato

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More information about this quote

Topic

Political theory Philosophers Government Political philosophy Politics

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

Occupation

Philosopher

From

Greece Europe Ancient Greece

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.

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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Socrates

Democracy passes into despotism.

Socrates

Quoted in Republic, by Plato

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Read the Republic at MIT's classics department website
More information about this quote
Topic
Political theory Democracy Tyranny Politics
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.

Another quote about Political theory

A free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.

Adlai Stevenson

More information about this quote
Topic
Nature of freedom Freedom Political theory
Speaker
Adlai Stevenson
Medium
Speech
Genre
Political speech
Language
English
Time
1952 1950s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Stevenson, Adlai. "Safeguards Against Communism." 7 Oct. 1952, Masonic Temple, Detroit, MI, USA.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

Some say cavalry and others claim infantry or a fleet of long oars is the supreme sight on the black earth. I say it is the one you love.

Sappho

More information about this quote
Topic
Loved ones

Author

Sappho
Medium
Poem
Language
Greek
Time
570 BC 570s BC 6th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Sappho. Supreme Sight on the Black Earth. c. 570 BCE.

Current Citation

Sappho. The Complete Poems of Sappho, edited by Willis Barnstone. Shambhala Publications, 2009.

Another quote from Republic

What I say is that "just" or "right" means nothing but what is to the interest of the stronger party.

Thrasymachus

Quoted in Republic, by Plato

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Read the Republic at MIT's classics department website
More information about this quote
Topic
Might makes right Justice Political theory Moral theory Morality
Speaker
Thrasymachus

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

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

Current Citation

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

Another quote originally in Greek

If cows and horses or lions had hands, or could draw with their hands and make things as men can, horses would have drawn horse-like gods, cows cow-like gods, and each species would have made the gods' bodies just like their own.

Xenophanes

More information about this quote
Topic
Nature of God God and man God Anthropomorphism

Author

Xenophanes
Medium
Presocratic fragment Fragment
Genre
Philosophical literature
Language
Greek
Time
5th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 0
Original Citation

Xenophanes. Fragments. 5th century BC, DK21 B15.

Current Citation

Xenophanes. "Xenophanes of Colophon." The First Philosophers: The Presocratics and Sophists. Oxford World Classics, 2009, DK21 B15.