Quote: Socrates

It seems to me not only that absolute greatness will never be great and small at once, but also that greatness in us never admits smallness, and will not be exceeded. One of two things must happen: either the greater will give way and fly at the approach of its opposite, the less, or it will perish. It will not stand its ground, and receive smallness, and be other than it was, just as I stand my ground, and receive smallness, and remain the very same small man that I was. But greatness cannot endure to be small, being great. Just in the same way again smallness in us will never become nor be great; nor will any opposite, while it remains what it was, become or be at the same time the opposite of what it was. Either it goes away or it perishes in the change.

This is sucked out of the Socratic dialogue (hence the more strictly correct author would be Plato, but never mind) Phaedo, 102e–103a (Ancient Philosophy, Bard and Kaufmann 5th edition, Cornford translation).

The actual point being made here involves immortality and Platonic Forms and I find it all rather silly, but I like how this particular translation, at least, emphasizes the impossibility of “greatness” ever being in any way small. I’m not quite so principled and probably nobody would call me great, but it’s something to admire.