Known as the founding father of Greek Philosophy, Socrates (Athens, 469 b.C. – † 399 b.C.) influenced all western way of thinking. He did not leave behind any written works, thus making his disciples Plato and Xenophanes responsible for the spreading and disseminating of his philosophy. His quotes and stories are known for their irony and good sense of humor. Here we attempt to group them by subject matter and promote them in a series of four publications.
On Love
By all means, marry. If you get a good wife you will become happy, and if you get a bad one you will become a philosopher.
One should fear the love of a woman much more than the wrath of a man.
Love is not a God or a mortal and yes a big demon.
The ideal marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.
As to marriage or celibacy, let a man take which course he will, he will be sure to repent.
Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior.
The hottest love has the coldest end.
On Friendship
A friend should be like money, whose worth we are aware of before having a need for him.
Do not take a man as a friend without first knowing how he conserved his past friendships, because you can expect that he will proceed with you the same way as he did with the rest.
Of all the ferocious animals, the most dangerous is the informer, and within the household is the flatterer.
Get not your friends by bare compliments, but by giving them sensible tokens of your love.
Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant
On Joy
Be a serious man, play.
An honest man is always a child
The joy of the soul makes up the beautiful days of life, whatever the season.
Enjoy yourself – it’s later than you think.
He is richest who is content with the least, for contentment is the wealth of nature.
He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.
On Health
If someone wishes to be healthy, ask him first if in the future he is willing to avoid the causes of the illness; if not, abstain from giving help.
On Death
Well then, the hour of departure has arrived and we go our ways; I to die, and you to live. Which is better? Only God knows.
If death had only been the end of all, the wicked would have had a good bargain in dying, for they would have been happily quit not only of their body, but of their own evil together with their souls.
The end of life is to be like God, and the soul following God will be like Him.
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