--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do nothing but go about persuading you…" description: "\"I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but and chiefly to care abo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/socrates-405_care_i-do-nothing-but-go-about-persuading-you_521600.jpg" --- # I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and… ![“I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but and chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul. I tell you that virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue comes money and every other good of…” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/socrates-405_care_i-do-nothing-but-go-about-persuading-you_521600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/socrates-405_care_i-do-nothing-but-go-about-persuading-you_521600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/759/socrates-405_care_i-do-nothing-but-go-about-persuading-you_521600.jpg) > “I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but and chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul. I tell you that virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue comes money and every other good of man, public as well as private. This is my teaching, and if this is the doctrine which corrupts the youth, I am a mischievous person.” [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Virtue precedes wealth; moral development benefits both public and private life, and true teaching may be misunderstood. **In simple terms:** Virtue leads to prosperity. Key Takeaway Cultivate virtue before seeking wealth. Themes ethics education public good Mood contemplative serious Type philosophical didactic When to use this quote - teaching - leadership - policy making Key Concepts moral philosophy civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What virtues are most valuable today? - How do you balance personal gain with societal benefit? A Different Perspective Virtue alone may not guarantee material success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mischievous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mischievous/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-virtue-1305199/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Persuading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuading/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Tell Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-virtue-3652445/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-comes-1666178/) [Virtue Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-given-1305198/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [“I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-do-nothing-but-go-about-persuading-you-all-old-and-young-alike-not-2/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“For know that this is the command of God; and I believe that no greater good has ever happened in the state than my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-know-that-this-is-the-command-of-god-and-i-believe-that-no/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Get money first; virtue comes later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/get-money-first-virtue-comes-later/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Get money first; virtue comes after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/get-money-first-virtue-comes-after/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-do-nothing-but-go-about-persuading-you-all-old-and-young-alike-not-3/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“I honor and love you: but why do you who are citizens of the great and mighty nation care so much about laying up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-honor-and-love-you-but-why-do-you-who-are-citizens-of-the-great-and/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Whatever happens, the path of virtue should not be given up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/whatever-happens-the-path-of-virtue-should-not-be-given-up/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [The true guide of our conduct is no outward authority, but the voice of God, who comes down to dwell in our souls, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/the-true-guide-of-our-conduct-is-no-outward-authority-but-the-voice/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Money and virtue must always be combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/money-and-virtue-must-always-be-combined/) [Albert II, Prince of Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/) > [They who assert the purest right, and consequently are most dangerous to a corrupt State, commonly have not spent much time accumulating property. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/they-who-assert-the-purest-right-and-consequently-are-most-dangerous/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Virtue comes through contemplation of the divine, and the exercise of philosophy. But it also comes through public service. The one is incomplete without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/virtue-comes-through-contemplation-of-the-divine-and-the-exercise-of/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“Absolutely speaking, the more money, the less virtue; for money comes between a man and his objects, and obtains them for him; it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/absolutely-speaking-the-more-money-the-less-virtue-for-money-comes/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The rich man is always sold to the institution which makes him rich. Absolutely speaking, the more money, the less virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-rich-man-is-always-sold-to-the-institution-which-makes-him-rich-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There are no women to whom virtue comes easier than those who possess no attractions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-no-women-to-whom-virtue-comes-easier-than-those-who-possess/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In truth: virtue comes from habit, not just gabbing about goodness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-young/in-truth-virtue-comes-from-habit-not-just-gabbing-about-goodness/) [Damon Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-young/) ## More by Socrates > [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. 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