‘By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.’”

Once upon a time, in a small village in ancient Greece, there lived a young man named Alexios. Alexios was quite a romantic; he dreamed of finding his one true love, someone with whom he could share his life and all his adventures. However, his grandmother, a wise old woman who had seen a lot in her life, often warned him with a smile: “Be careful, Alexie. You never know what marriage can bring. It could be luck or... philosophy!'

One day, Alexios heard of a wise man named Socrates, who was known for giving advice on all matters, including love and marriage. Curiosity got the better of him, and Alexios set out on his way to Athens, where Socrates was often found in the marketplace, surrounded by people eager to learn from him.

When Alexios arrived, he found Socrates, a man with a thick beard, deep eyes, and a mischievous smile, speaking to a group of followers. Alexios waited patiently for the crowd to disperse, then he approached Socrates and asked, “Wise Socrates, I seek your advice. I want to get married, but I'm afraid whether it will bring me happiness or sadness.'

Socrates laughed. “Ah, young Alexia, marriage is a strange thing indeed. Let me tell you a little secret: 'By all means get married; if you get a good wife, you will be happy; when you get a bad one, you become a philosopher."

Alexios was confused by the answer. “What do you mean, Socrates? Why would a bad marriage make me a philosopher?

Socrates leaned closer, his eyes flashing with humor. “Well, my young friend, let me explain it through a story.

So Socrates began to tell Alexius about a man named Thales, a philosopher once madly in love. Thales was sure he had found the perfect woman. She was kind, intelligent and beautiful and Thales was over the moon. They married in a grand ceremony and everyone believed they would live happily ever after.

But life had other plans. After a few months of marriage, Thales' beloved wife began to change. She started complaining about everything: how she eats, how she dresses, even how she breathes. She scolded him for returning late from the market, taught him how to wash clothes and reminded him daily that he was not as young as he used to be.

Thales soon found himself spending more time outside, wandering the hills and valleys trying to understand what had happened. His friends began to call him "Thales the Wanderer" because he always seemed lost in thought and searching for answers. His wife, on the other hand, called him simply "Thales the fool".

One day a friend asked him, "Thales, why do you look so worried?"

Thales sighed deeply. “Marriage has made me a philosopher, my friend.

The friend laughed, thinking Thales was joking. But Thales meant it. He began to question everything—life, love, happiness, and even the universe itself. And so, thanks to his troubled marriage, Thales became one of the most famous Greek philosophers, always deep in thought and always searching for answers.

Alexios laughed at Socrates' story but was still not convinced. “But what if I have a good wife? Wouldn't that make me happy?"

Socrates smiled and patted him on the back. “If you find a good woman, my friend, you will be truly happy. But life is full of surprises. Sometimes the road to wisdom is paved with heavy stones.”

Alexios thought about Socrates' words for a moment. He wasn't sure if he was ready to become a philosopher yet, but he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe marriage was worth the risk. After all, if he had a good wife, he would be happy. And if he didn't... well, he'd end up as wise as Socrates.

With a heart full of hope, Alexios returned to his village, eager to find his own path, whether it led to happiness or philosophy. And so the young man set off on his journey, knowing that one way or another life would teach him something valuable.

As the years passed, Alexios did marry. His wife Maria was kind, but she had her quirks. She insisted on doing things her way, which occasionally left Alexios scratching his head in confusion. She would say, "Alexios, a proper man doesn't leave his sandals lying around!" or "Why do you need to philosophize when you can fix the roof?"

But through it all, Alexios found that he was actually learning something. Every day he learned patience, understanding, and—yes—a little philosophy. He found marriage to be a journey with ups and downs, a constant lesson that taught him to look inward and think.

One evening, as he sat under the stars with his wife by his side, Alexios couldn't help but laugh. Maria looked at him in confusion. "What's so funny, Alexia?"

He turned to her with a smile and said, “Socrates was right, you know. Marriage really made me a philosopher.'

Maria rolled her eyes but smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. “Well, if you're going to be a philosopher, at least he made me hold you down.

And so Alexios realized that whether one marries a "good woman" or a "bad woman," life always has a way of teaching valuable lessons. Happiness and philosophy are not opposites, he thought. They were partners in life's great adventure. And as he looked up at the stars, he silently thanked Socrates for the advice that guided him on his path of love, laughter and a touch of wisdom.