Protagoras Quotes

“As touching the gods, I do not know whether they exist or not, nor how they are featured; for there is much to prevent our knowing: the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life.”

Protagoras

Opening lines of Concerning the Gods (DK 80 B4).
Variant translation: "As to the Gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist, or if they do, what they are like."

“You, Socrates, began by saying that virtue can't be taught, and now you are insisting on the opposite, trying to show that all things are knowledge, justice, soundness of mind, even courage, from which it would follow that virtue most certainly can be taught.”

Protagoras

As quoted in Protagoras by Plato

“There are two sides to every question.”

Protagoras

As quoted in Lives of Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laërtius, Book IX, Sec. 51

“Man is the measure of all things: of things which are, that they are, and of things which are not, that they are not.”

Protagoras

As quoted in Theaetetus by Plato section 152a

“The Athenians are right to accept advice from anyone, since it is incumbent on everyone to share in that sort of excellence, or else there can be no city at all.”

Protagoras

As quoted in Protagoras by Plato

“When it comes to consideration of how to do well in running the city, which must proceed entirely through justice and soundness of mind.”

Protagoras

As quoted in Protagoras by Plato