A tyrant... is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader.

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

And once we have given our community a good start,' I pointed out, ' the process will be cumulative. By maintaining a sound system of education you produce citizens of good character, and citizens of sound character, with the advantage of a good education, produce in turn children better than themselves and better able to produce still better children in their turn, as can be seen with animals.

All loves should be simply stepping stones to the love of God. So it was with me; and blessed be his name for his great goodness and mercy.

. . . the triumph of my art is in thoroughly examining whether the thought which the mind of the young man brings forth is a false idol or a noble and true birth.

Maximize the power of the beliefs that strengthen you and neutralize those that weaken you.

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 - no, nor the human race, as I believe - and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day.