Beauty Quote by Plato
““if someone got to see the Beautiful itself, absolute, pure, unmixed, not polluted by human flesh or colors or any other great nonsense of mortality, but if he could see the divine Beauty itself in its one form? Do you think it would be a poor life for a human being to look there and to behold it by that which he ought, and to be with it? Or haven't you remembered that in that life alone, when he looks at Beauty in the only way what Beauty can be seen - only then will it become possible for him to give birth no to images of virtue but to true virtue. The love of the gods belongs to anyone who has given birth to true virtue and nourished it, and if any human being could become immortal, it would be he.””
About This Quote
Source Dialogue: Symposium, Plato, c. 385 BC
True beauty is an absolute, divine form that, when truly perceived, inspires genuine virtue and a love of the divine.
In simple terms: Seeing pure beauty creates true virtue.
Key Takeaway
Seek pure beauty to foster virtue.
Themes
philosophy
beauty
virtue
divine love
Mood
contemplative
inspiring
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- art criticism
- spiritual meditation
- education
- personal growth
Key Concepts
Platonic Forms
transcendence
ethical development
Questions to Reflect On
- Can we ever truly perceive pure beauty?
- How does this view shape moral action?
A Different Perspective
Pure beauty may be inaccessible to most, limiting practical impact.
![“...when he looks at Beauty in the only way that Beauty can be seen - only then will it become possible for him to give birth not to images of virtue (because he's in touch with no images), but to true virtue [arete] (because he is in touch with true Beauty). The love of the gods belongs to anyone…” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0f/plato-103_beauty_when-he-looks-at-beauty-in-the-only-way_509533.jpg)
