--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But this is not difficult, O Athenians!…" description: "\"But this is not difficult, O Athenians! to escape death; but it is much more difficult to avoid depravity, for it runs swifter than death. And now I, b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/392/plato-103_active_but-this-is-not-difficult-o-athenians-to_358271.jpg" --- # But this is not difficult, O Athenians! to escape death… ![“But this is not difficult, O Athenians! to escape death; but it is much more difficult to avoid depravity, for it runs swifter than death. And now I, being slow and aged, am overtaken by the slower of the two; but my accusers, being strong and active, have been overtaken by the swifter…” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/392/plato-103_active_but-this-is-not-difficult-o-athenians-to_358271.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/392/plato-103_active_but-this-is-not-difficult-o-athenians-to_358271.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/392/plato-103_active_but-this-is-not-difficult-o-athenians-to_358271.jpg) > “But this is not difficult, O Athenians! to escape death; but it is much more difficult to avoid depravity, for it runs swifter than death. And now I, being slow and aged, am overtaken by the slower of the two; but my accusers, being strong and active, have been overtaken by the swifter, wickedness. And now I depart, condemned by you to death; but they condemned by truth, as guilty of iniquity and injustice: and I abide my sentence, and so do they. These things, perhaps, ought so to be, and I think that they are for the best.” [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding moral decay is harder than avoiding death; decay spreads quickly and overtakes even the wise. **In simple terms:** Moral corruption spreads faster than death. Key Takeaway Guard against ethical decline. Themes ethics mortality decay Mood cautionary thought‑provoking Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political leadership - personal integrity - societal reform Key Concepts philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - What personal habits protect you from moral decay? - How can societies curb the spread of corruption? A Different Perspective Even wise individuals can be overtaken by widespread corruption. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Active](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active/) [Condemned Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condemned-death-598505/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Condemned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-condemned-3295120/) [Depart Condemned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depart-condemned-1844206/) [Depravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depravity/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Sentences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentences/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Swifter Wickedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swifter-wickedness-3295121/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Wickedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wickedness/) [Wickedness Depart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wickedness-depart-3295122/) ## Related quotes > [And now I depart hence condemned by you to suffer the penalty of death, and they, too, go their ways condemned by the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/and-now-i-depart-hence-condemned-by-you-to-suffer-the-penalty-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [The death penalty confronts us with a penetrating moral question: Can even the monstrous crimes of those who are condemned to death and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blase-j-cupich/the-death-penalty-confronts-us-with-a-penetrating-moral-question-can/) [Blase J. 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