Our greatest blessings come to us by way of madness, provided the madness is given us by divine gift.

So the nature required to make a really noble Guardian of our commonwealth will be swift and strong, spirited, and philosophic.

To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory; to be vanquished by one's own nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat.

When you swear, swear seriously and solemnly, but at the same time with a smile, for a smile is the twin sister of seriousness.

Wherever it has been established that it is shameful to be involved with sexual relationships with men, that is due to evil on the part of the rulers, and to cowardice on the part of the governed.

They ought to be gentle to their friends and dangerous to their enemies.

According to Diotima, Love is not a god at all, but is rather a spirit that mediates between people and the objects of their desire. Love is neither wise nor beautiful, but is rather the desire for wisdom and beauty.