Truth is the beginning of every good to the gods, and of every

Plato, the philosopher who sat at the feet of Socrates and whose words have echoed across the ages, declared: “Truth is the beginning of every good to the gods, and of every good to man.” In this saying lies the seed of his philosophy, for to Plato, truth was not a mere fact, but the very foundation of goodness, the light by which both mortals and immortals walk. If the gods, who stand above men, delight in truth, then how much more must men, frail and wandering, cling to it as their guide? Without truth, all other virtues crumble, for justice, courage, and wisdom cannot live in the shadow of falsehood.

In the age of the ancients, truth was not seen as a casual ornament but as a divine principle. Plato believed that the soul’s journey is a striving toward the eternal, and that the eternal is revealed only through truth. Lies may flatter the ears and soothe the heart, but they bind the soul in darkness. Only truth, however harsh, liberates. To say that truth is “the beginning of every good” is to declare it the root from which all blessings spring—whether they be divine blessings from the gods or earthly blessings for humankind.

History bears witness to this principle. Consider the example of Abraham Lincoln, who in his leadership during America’s Civil War clung fiercely to truth. He did not disguise the agony of the nation nor the blood-price of freedom. When he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, he acknowledged the fierce opposition and the grave risks, yet he proclaimed it because it was rooted in truth: that all men are created equal. That one truth, declared and defended, gave rise to a greater good—the death of slavery and the rebirth of a nation. It is in this way that truth becomes the wellspring of all lasting good.

But how strange it is that men flee from truth! Many prefer the sweetness of lies, the comfort of illusions, the safety of silence. Yet Plato teaches that these are traps, luring the soul into ruin. A general who deceives himself about the strength of his enemy will lose the war. A ruler who hides behind falsehoods will destroy his people. A man who lies to himself cannot grow in virtue. Falsehood may promise ease, but in the end it delivers only decay. Truth, though heavy to bear, leads to life, growth, and the favor of both gods and men.

And let us note also the divine dimension of this teaching. Plato writes that truth is the beginning of every good to the gods, for the gods themselves are aligned with the eternal order of the cosmos. If the immortal powers delight in truth, then when man speaks truth, he partakes in something sacred. To lie is not merely a failure of morality—it is an offense against the harmony of the universe itself. To live in truth is, in a sense, to live as the gods live, in accordance with the eternal.

The lesson, then, is this: let truth be the cornerstone of your life. Do not seek good without it, for any good built upon falsehood will collapse. Let your speech be honest, even when silence might save you trouble. Let your work be sincere, even when deceit might bring quicker gain. Let your relationships rest on truth, for without it they will crumble. Truth is not always easy, but it is always fruitful; it is the seed from which every lasting virtue grows.

Practically, this means training yourself daily in honesty. Begin with small matters: be truthful in your words, in your dealings, in your promises. Do not twist truth for convenience, nor hide it for gain. When you face difficult decisions, ask: “What is the truth here?” and follow it, even if it leads through hardship. In this way, you align yourself with the eternal order, and both gods and men will honor you.

For in the end, truth is not merely a path—it is the source, the beginning of every good. To walk in truth is to walk in the light; to abandon it is to stumble in darkness. Plato’s words remind us that truth is not one virtue among many, but the root of them all. Let us then hold fast to it, as to a torch in the night, and in its glow we shall find both the blessing of heaven and the flourishing of earth.