Former veep Joe Biden on Tuesday dropped one of his strongest hints yet that he might seek the Democratic nomination for president — by quoting Plato during an event at the University of Delaware.

“One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors,” he said, using the quote from the Greek philosopher to take a shot at President Trump.

Biden’s jibe came during an event at the university with presidential historian Jon Meacham.

While insisting that no final decision had been made, he said that one of his primary concerns was out of the way.

After several family conversations, he said, “there’s a consensus I should, they want me to run” for president.

“The first hurdle for me was deciding whether or not I am comfortable taking the family through what would be a very very, very difficult campaign,” he said.

But he also continued to tease Democrats with his apparent continued indecision.

“I can die a happy man never having lived in the White House. But what I don’t want to do Is take people’s time, effort and commitment without there being a clear shot I could be the nominee. I think I can. I think that’s where we are,” he said.

“We’re also taking a hard look at whether or not this alleged appeal I have — how deep does it run? Is it real?” Biden continued.

“There’s still a couple hurdles to make sure this is all in place. But I’m not there yet. I don’t want to mislead you. I have not made the final decision.”

The loquacious Delaware pol also said that Trump’s reaction to the racial violence in Charlottesville, Va., prompted both him and former President Obama to speak out about the president’s equivocation sooner than they had planned.

“Barack and I agreed we were not going to comment on President Trump’s administration for a year to give him a chance to get set up. We thought we’d do what [President George] W [Bush] did with us. But when Charlottesville happened, I couldn’t remain silent any longer,” he said.

And the longtime former senator fondly recalled days before partisan acrimony poisoned the upper chamber.

He said that when he first arrived in Senate he didn’t know many people, but he met Sens. Ted Kennedy, William Fulbright and Jennings Randolph in the Senate gym, where “everybody walks around in their birthday suit.”

“The first time I met these guys, I saw all of them,” he said.