--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first and greatest victory is to…" description: "\"The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.\" — Plato" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/plato-103_greatest-victory_the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-con_1842737.jpg" --- # The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to… ![“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/05f/plato-103_greatest-victory_the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-con_1842737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/plato-103_greatest-victory_the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-con_1842737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/plato-103_greatest-victory_the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-con_1842737.jpg) > “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 triumph; failing to control oneself is deeply disgraceful. **In simple terms:** Master yourself to win. Key Takeaway Seek self‑control above all. Themes philosophy self‑discipline virtue Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - addiction recovery - stress management - leadership - personal finance Key Concepts ethics personal development Questions to Reflect On - What habits hinder your self‑mastery? - How can you measure personal victory? A Different Perspective Self‑control is difficult and may require external support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatest victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-victory/) ## Related quotes > [For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories... The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-a-man-to-conquer-himself-is-the-first-and-noblest-of-all-2/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Conquer or be conquered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farragut/conquer-or-be-conquered/) 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/) > [“God, why can’t I get over this? I’ve conquered so many things, met so many challenges head-on. Yet today just proved…some things you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-b-jones/god-why-can-t-i-get-over-this-i-ve-conquered-so-many-things-met-so/) [Jenny B. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-b-jones/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [“First and best victory is to conquer self. To be conquered By self is, of all things. the most shameful and objectionable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/first-and-best-victory-is-to-conquer-self-to-be-conquered-by-self-is/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [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/) > [Conquered, we conquer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/conquered-we-conquer/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [When we conquer ourselves, then everything will be conquered: oneself, others, and all the sense objects as well, coming in by way of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/when-we-conquer-ourselves-then-everything-will-be-conquered-oneself/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [My journey continues, because I've, you know, conquered a lot. And I know how to conquer the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/my-journey-continues-because-i-ve-you-know-conquered-a-lot-and-i-know/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Yes, young men, Italy owes to you an undertaking which has merited the applause of the universe. You have conquered and you will conquer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-garibaldi/yes-young-men-italy-owes-to-you-an-undertaking-which-has-merited-the/) [Giuseppe Garibaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-garibaldi/) > [“The first and best victory is to conquer self. To be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-first-and-best-victory-is-to-conquer-self-to-be-conquered-by-self/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory; to be vanquished by one's own nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/to-conquer-oneself-is-the-best-and-noblest-victory-to-be-vanquished/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The first and best victory is to conquer self”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-first-and-best-victory-is-to-conquer-self/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## 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 Conquer quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Man will not always stay on Earth; the pursuit of light and space will lead him to penetrate the bounds of the atmosphere, timidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konstantin-tsiolkovsky/man-will-not-always-stay-on-earth-the-pursuit-of-light-and-space-will/) [Konstantin Tsiolkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konstantin-tsiolkovsky/) > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I'm ready to conquer anything thrown at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-pritchard/i-m-ready-to-conquer-anything-thrown-at-me/) [A. J. Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-pritchard/) > [“They had been dreamers. Her father always said that this was why they had been easy to conquer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-rutkoski/they-had-been-dreamers-her-father-always-said-that-this-was-why-they/) [Marie Rutkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-rutkoski/) > [The moment you conquer one fear is the minute you conquer many fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/the-moment-you-conquer-one-fear-is-the-minute-you-conquer-many-fears/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [“In quixotically trying to conquer death doctors all too frequently do no good for their patients’ “ease” but at the same time they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/in-quixotically-trying-to-conquer-death-doctors-all-too-frequently-do/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [Yet hold it more humane, more heav'nly, first, By winning words to conquer willing hearts, And make persuasion do the work of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/yet-hold-it-more-humane-more-heav-nly-first-by-winning-words-to/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [At the time when this famous historical battle was fought in Kosovo, the people were looking at the stars, expecting aid from them. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/at-the-time-when-this-famous-historical-battle-was-fought-in-kosovo/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [I can conquer the world with one hand, as long as you are holding the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-smith/i-can-conquer-the-world-with-one-hand-as-long-as-you-are-holding-the/) [Megan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-smith/) > [ To conquer \[our enemies\] we must dare, and dare again, and dare for ever; and thus will France be saved ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-danton/to-conquer-our-enemies-we-must-dare-and-dare-again-and-dare-for-ever/) [Georges Danton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-danton/) > [I consider that the Golden Rule requires that if I like a program I must share it with other people who like it. Software…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/i-consider-that-the-golden-rule-requires-that-if-i-like-a-program-i/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) Browse all 1,557 Conquer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plato" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-conquer-yourself-to-be-conquered/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conquer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-conquer-yourself-to-be-conquered/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/plato-103_greatest-victory_the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-con_1842737.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/plato-103_greatest-victory_the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-con_1842737.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/plato-103_greatest-victory_the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-con_1842737.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most…” — 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": "The first and greatest victory is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-conquer-yourself-to-be-conquered/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-first-and-greatest-victory-is-to-conquer-yourself-to-be-conquered/#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 } } ] } ```