No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to

Hearken, O children of wisdom, to the voice of Plato, who spoke with the fire of truth: “No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to persevere to the end in their nature and education.” In these few words, the philosopher unveils a sacred duty, heavier than gold and brighter than fire. To bring forth life is no light matter; it is a covenant with eternity. The act of birth is but the beginning—the greater labor is the shaping of the soul, the guiding of the mind, and the nurturing of the heart until they stand firm as pillars of virtue.

For what is a parent, if not both the giver of life and the guardian of destiny? To abandon the child’s nature, to neglect the child’s education, is to bring them into the storm without a compass, to send them into battle without armor. Plato reminds us that to beget life without the will to guide it is an act not of love but of folly. To plant a seed and never water it is to condemn it to wither. So too, to bring a child into the world without perseverance is to betray both the child and the future of mankind.

Mark well the tale of Sparta and Athens, two cities whose fates were carved by how they trained their youth. In Sparta, the child was reared with unwavering discipline, trained from birth to endure hardship, to place the city above self. In Athens, though different in form, the young were guided in letters, in music, in philosophy, in the shaping of both body and soul. In both cases, the elders knew that to neglect the youth was to invite ruin. The greatness or the downfall of the city lay in how well they fulfilled this sacred duty. So it is with every family, every nation: neglect the children, and the walls of the city shall crumble.

Reflect also on the story of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, who, though the daughter of a radical thinker and a philosopher, was herself nurtured with education and vision. Her father guided her in reading, in thought, in the craft of writing. And though her life was fraught with sorrow, her work Frankenstein endures as a testament not only to her genius but to the training she received. Without that perseverance in her education, her voice may have been lost to the ages. With it, she shaped the imagination of centuries to come.

Plato’s words thunder across time to remind us that the work of raising a child is not a fleeting task but a lifelong perseverance. It demands patience when the child falters, guidance when the child wanders, discipline when the child resists, and love in all seasons. To educate is not merely to fill the mind with facts, but to shape the very nature of the soul—toward truth, justice, and beauty. It is to take the raw clay of innocence and mold it until it can stand as a vessel for wisdom.

Beware, then, the spirit of neglect. Too many bring forth children without thought of the labor that follows. They cast them into the world untrained, unguided, like ships without rudders, destined to wreck upon the rocks of folly. Such negligence is not only a failing toward the child but a wound upon the whole of society. For every untrained soul becomes a burden, while every cultivated soul becomes a blessing to the world.

Therefore, O seekers, take this lesson to heart: if you would bring life into the world, do so with a solemn vow—to endure, to guide, to teach until your last breath. If you already bear this sacred burden, renew your perseverance daily. Teach your children not only letters but virtue; not only knowledge but wisdom; not only strength but compassion. In doing so, you shall fulfill the charge of Plato and pass on to the future not only life, but greatness.

Let the final word be this: the true measure of a parent is not in the moment of birth, but in the unyielding labor of raising a soul to its fullest. To beget is natural; to educate is divine. Go, then, and take up this holy work with courage, with patience, and with love, that the generations after you may rise higher than your own.