--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a man to conquer himself is the first…" description: "\"For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories... The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/plato-103_all-things_for-a-man-to-conquer-himself-is-the-firs_1349856.jpg" --- # For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of… ![“For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories... The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/plato-103_all-things_for-a-man-to-conquer-himself-is-the-firs_1349856.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/plato-103_all-things_for-a-man-to-conquer-himself-is-the-firs_1349856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/plato-103_all-things_for-a-man-to-conquer-himself-is-the-firs_1349856.jpg) > “For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories... The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.” [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. Self‑mastery is the highest achievement; failing to control oneself leads to disgrace. **In simple terms:** Master yourself, avoid shame. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑discipline. Themes self‑control virtue personal growth Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - conflict resolution - habit formation Key Concepts philosophy ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - What habits hinder your self‑control? - How can you measure personal victory? A Different Perspective Self‑mastery alone does not guarantee external success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) [Conquer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquer/) [Conquer Conquered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquer-conquered-2364150/) [Conquer Noblest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquer-noblest-1525668/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Greatest victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-victory/) [Man Conquer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-conquer-333286/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Noblest Victories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noblest-victories-333285/) [Shameful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shameful/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) ## Related quotes > [For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-a-man-to-conquer-himself-is-the-first-and-noblest-of-all-victories/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories. He was a wise man who invented beer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-a-man-to-conquer-himself-is-the-first-and-noblest-of-all/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-conquer-yourself-to-be-conquered/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [To be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/to-be-conquered-by-yourself-is-of-all-things-most-shameful-and-vile/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Though he should conquer a thousand men in the battlefield a thousand times, yet he, indeed, who would conquer himself is the noblest victor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/though-he-should-conquer-a-thousand-men-in-the-battlefield-a-thousand/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Conquer or be conquered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farragut/conquer-or-be-conquered/) [David Farragut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-farragut/) > [Women like not only to conquer, but to be conquered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/women-like-not-only-to-conquer-but-to-be-conquered/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Loyalty in time of need is possibly one of the noblest of victories a courtier can win over himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/loyalty-in-time-of-need-is-possibly-one-of-the-noblest-of-victories-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Man's greatest victory is over oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/man-s-greatest-victory-is-over-oneself/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-conquer-yourself/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [A man may conquer a million men in battle but one who conquers himself is, indeed, the greatest of conquerors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-may-conquer-a-million-men-in-battle-but-one-who-conquers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God has no intention of setting a limit to the efforts of man to conquer space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-has-no-intention-of-setting-a-limit-to-the-efforts-of-man-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If a man should conquer in battle a thousand and a thousand more, and another should conquer himself, his would be the greater victory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/if-a-man-should-conquer-in-battle-a-thousand-and-a-thousand-more-and/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-xiv/there-is-little-that-can-withstand-a-man-who-can-conquer-himself/) [Louis XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-xiv/) > [Man must conquer nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/man-must-conquer-nature/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) ## More by Plato > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-men-learn-this-it-will-implant-forgetfulness-in-their-souls-they/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-as-nobody-may-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“He was a wise man who invented God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-was-a-wise-man-who-invented-god/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-let-me-tell-you-that-the-more-the-pleasures-of-the-body-fade-away/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“What shall we say about those spectators, then, who can see a plurality of beautiful things, but not beauty itself, and who are incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-shall-we-say-about-those-spectators-then-who-can-see-a-plurality/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-that-nobody-will-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We must, if we are to be consistent, and if we re to have a real pedigree herd, mate the best of our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-must-if-we-are-to-be-consistent-and-if-we-re-to-have-a-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) [Explore all 1,278 Plato quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More All things quotes > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... 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