“All persons who are enthusiastic that they should transcend the other animals ought to strive with the utmost effort not to pass through a life of silence, like cattle, which nature has fashioned to be prone and obedient to their stomachs.”

Necessity makes even the timid brave.

In battle it is the cowards who run the most risk; bravery is a rampart of defense.

The renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession.

Poor Britons, there is some good in them after all – they produced an oyster.

Of the cosmic Gods some make the world be, others animate it, others harmonize it, consisting as it does of different elements; the fourth class keep it when harmonized.

It is a law of human nature that in victory even the coward may boast of his prowess, while defeat injures the reputation even of the brave.

We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve.

To desire the same things and to reject the same things, constitutes true friendship.

Of the bodies in the cosmos, some imitate mind and move in orbits; some imitate soul and move in a straight line, fire and air upward, earth and water downward.

They envy the distinction I have won; let them therefore, envy my toils, my honesty, and the methods by which I gained it.

In my opinion, he only may be truly said to live and enjoy his being who is engaged in some laudable pursuit, and acquires a name by some illustrious action, or useful art.

The very life which we enjoy is short.

For harmony makes small states great, while discord undermines the mightiest empires.

A good man prefers to suffer rather than overcome injustice with evil.

The glory of ancestors sheds a light around posterity; it allows neither good nor bad qualities to remain in obscurity.

Those most moved to tears by every word of a preacher are generally weak and a rascal when the feelings evaporate.

The first great law is to obey.

The fact is that love is of two kinds, one which commands, and one which obeys. The two are quite distinct, and the passion to which the one gives rise is not the passion of the other.

To be man’s tender mate was woman born, and in obeying nature she best serves the purposes of heaven.

Society is well governed when its people obey the magistrates, and the magistrates obey the law.

Obedience decks the Christian most.

Obedience is the Christian’s crown.

He who has learned how to obey will know how to command.

It is a base thing for a man among the people not to obey those in command. Never in a state can the laws be well administered when fear does not stand firm.