--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am that gadfly which God has attached…" description: "\"“I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long …arousing and persuading and reproaching…You will not easily find another like ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/plato-103_serious_i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached_1063586.jpg" --- # I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and… ![“I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long …arousing and persuading and reproaching…You will not easily find another like me.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/plato-103_serious_i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached_1063586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/plato-103_serious_i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached_1063586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/plato-103_serious_i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached_1063586.jpg) > ““I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long …arousing and persuading and reproaching…You will not easily find another like me.”” [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. Socrates sees himself as a persistent irritant that provokes the state to self‑examination and improvement. **In simple terms:** He calls himself a necessary troublemaker for society. Key Takeaway Embrace constructive criticism. Themes civic duty truth provocation leadership Mood challenging reflective Type philosophical political motivational When to use this quote - public office - activism - education reform - media commentary Key Concepts Socratic method political philosophy ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance agitation with respect? - When is criticism essential for progress? A Different Perspective May be perceived as antagonistic or disruptive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arousing Persuading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arousing-persuading-2610220/) [Gadfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gadfly/) [Gadfly God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gadfly-god-2610219/) [God Attached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-attached-2610218/) [Persuading Reproaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuading-reproaching-2610221/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) ## Related quotes > [I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached-to-the-state-and-all-day-long-2/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“The State is like a great and noble steed who is tardy in his motions owing to his very size, and requires to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-state-is-like-a-great-and-noble-steed-who-is-tardy-in-his-motions/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Before the coming of Jesus Christ, men fled away from God and, being attached to the earth, refused to unite themselves to their Creator.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-liguori/before-the-coming-of-jesus-christ-men-fled-away-from-god-and-being/) [Alphonsus Liguori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonsus-liguori/) > [“I said to him one day that the very slender reward which God had attached to the pursuit of serious inquiry was a sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/i-said-to-him-one-day-that-the-very-slender-reward-which-god-had/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“While you’re singing something romantic, I can’t get the lyrics to ‘Love and Marriage’ out of my head, and that tune always reminds me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/while-you-re-singing-something-romantic-i-can-t-get-the-lyrics-to/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [“If you boil it down, just because someone else does the wrong thing we are not exempt from doing what’s right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/if-you-boil-it-down-just-because-someone-else-does-the-wrong-thing-we/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [If Christ is God, He cannot sin, and if suffering was a sin in and by itself, He could not have suffered and died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-christ-is-god-he-cannot-sin-and-if-suffering-was-a-sin-in-and-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...it’s just another one of those things I don’t understand: everyone impresses upon you how unique you are, encouraging you to cultivate your individuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-just-another-one-of-those-things-i-don-t-understand-everyone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“... a true friend has your best interests at heart and the pluck to tell you what you need to hear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-true-friend-has-your-best-interests-at-heart-and-the-pluck-to-tell/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [We are the sum total of the decisions we have made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-the-sum-total-of-the-decisions-we-have-made/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There has to be a cut-off somewhere between the freedom of expression and a graphically explicit free-for-all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-has-to-be-a-cut-off-somewhere-between-the-freedom-of-expression/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is unfortunate that in most cases when the sins of the father fall on the son it is because unlike God, people refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-unfortunate-that-in-most-cases-when-the-sins-of-the-father-fall/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why do we desire, above all other things, that which has the greatest power to destroy us?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-rogerson/why-do-we-desire-above-all-other-things-that-which-has-the-greatest/) [Margaret Rogerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-rogerson/) > [“Socrates: Have you noticed on our journey how often the citizens of this new land remind each other it is a free country? Plato:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/socrates-have-you-noticed-on-our-journey-how-often-the-citizens-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“... a man doesn't like to have his ego popped, especially when he prides himself on his sagacity, and then to be proved wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-man-doesn-t-like-to-have-his-ego-popped-especially-when-he-prides/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) ## 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 Gadfly quotes > [“... a man doesn't like to have his ego popped, especially when he prides himself on his sagacity, and then to be proved wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-man-doesn-t-like-to-have-his-ego-popped-especially-when-he-prides/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [“Socrates: Have you noticed on our journey how often the citizens of this new land remind each other it is a free country? Plato:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/socrates-have-you-noticed-on-our-journey-how-often-the-citizens-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why do we desire, above all other things, that which has the greatest power to destroy us?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-rogerson/why-do-we-desire-above-all-other-things-that-which-has-the-greatest/) [Margaret Rogerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-rogerson/) > [It is unfortunate that in most cases when the sins of the father fall on the son it is because unlike God, people refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-unfortunate-that-in-most-cases-when-the-sins-of-the-father-fall/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There has to be a cut-off somewhere between the freedom of expression and a graphically explicit free-for-all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-has-to-be-a-cut-off-somewhere-between-the-freedom-of-expression/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are the sum total of the decisions we have made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-the-sum-total-of-the-decisions-we-have-made/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“... a true friend has your best interests at heart and the pluck to tell you what you need to hear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-true-friend-has-your-best-interests-at-heart-and-the-pluck-to-tell/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [“...it’s just another one of those things I don’t understand: everyone impresses upon you how unique you are, encouraging you to cultivate your individuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-just-another-one-of-those-things-i-don-t-understand-everyone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If Christ is God, He cannot sin, and if suffering was a sin in and by itself, He could not have suffered and died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-christ-is-god-he-cannot-sin-and-if-suffering-was-a-sin-in-and-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you boil it down, just because someone else does the wrong thing we are not exempt from doing what’s right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/if-you-boil-it-down-just-because-someone-else-does-the-wrong-thing-we/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [“While you’re singing something romantic, I can’t get the lyrics to ‘Love and Marriage’ out of my head, and that tune always reminds me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/while-you-re-singing-something-romantic-i-can-t-get-the-lyrics-to/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [Pops added,you know, they say if you don't vote, you get the government you deserve. And if you do, you never get the results…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pops-added-you-know-they-say-if-you-don-t-vote-you-get-the-government/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“All trademarks, company names, registered names, products, characters, mottos, logos, jingles and catchphrases used or cited in this work are the property of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/all-trademarks-company-names-registered-names-products-characters/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [“They kill me because they are afraid of me; and what more can any man's heart desire? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-lillian-voynich/they-kill-me-because-they-are-afraid-of-me-and-what-more-can-any-man/) [Ethel Lillian Voynich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-lillian-voynich/) > [Poor God, how often He is blamed for all the suffering in the world. It's like praising Satan for allowing all the good that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/poor-god-how-often-he-is-blamed-for-all-the-suffering-in-the-world-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 46 Gadfly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gadfly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long …arousing and persuading and reproaching…You will not easily find another like me.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plato" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached-to-the-state-and-all-day-long/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gadfly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached-to-the-state-and-all-day-long/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/plato-103_serious_i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached_1063586.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/plato-103_serious_i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached_1063586.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/plato-103_serious_i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached_1063586.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long …arousing and persuading and…” — Plato", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Plato", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I am that gadfly which God...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached-to-the-state-and-all-day-long/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-am-that-gadfly-which-god-has-attached-to-the-state-and-all-day-long/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```