Behold! human beings living in an underground den... Like ourselves... They see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave.

Socrates

Quoted in Republic, by Plato

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More information about this quote

Topic

Ignorance Education

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 1

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.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Socrates about ignorance: “Behold! human beings living in an underground den... Like ourselves... They see only…”
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A quote by Socrates about ignorance: “Behold! human beings living in an underground den... Like ourselves... They see only…”
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A quote by Socrates about ignorance: “Behold! human beings living in an underground den... Like ourselves... They see only…”
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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 Plato

Friends have all things in common.

Plato

Phaedrus

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More information about this quote
Topic
Nature of friendship Sharing
Speaker
Phaedrus

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

Phaedrus. Quoted in Φαῖδρος [Phaedrus], written by Plato. c. 370 BC, sect. 279c.

Current Citation

Phaedrus. Quoted in "Phaedrus." Plato: Lysis; Symposium; Phaedrus, written by Plato, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2022, sect. 279c.

Another quote about Education

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

Long Walk to Freedom

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More information about this quote
Topic
Hate Prejudice and bias Loving others Education

Author

Nelson Mandela
Source
Long Walk to Freedom
Genre
Autobiography and memoir
Language
English
Time
1994 1990s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Mandela, Nelson. Long Walk to Freedom. Little, Brown and Company, 1994, pt. 11.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

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More information about this quote
Topic
Faith
Source
Revelation The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Language
Greek
Time
96 90s 1st century
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Revelation 2:10).

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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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

There are many wonderful things, and nothing is more wonderful than man.

Sophocles

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More information about this quote
Topic
Nature of man Man and animals

Author

Sophocles
Source
Antigone
Medium
Play
Genre
Tragic play Greek theater
Language
Greek
Time
441 BC 440s 5th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Sophocles. Ἀντιγόνη [Antigone]. c. 441 BC, Festival of Dionysus, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Sophocles. "Antigone." The Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone, translated by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Mariner Books, 2002.