“It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement. Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs, therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity or undue depression in adversity.”

We should not call a city happy because it attracts masses of citizens from everywhere; a fortunate city is one in which the race of the original inhabitants is best preserved.

Oratory is good only if it has the qualities of fitness for the occasion, propriety of style, and originality of treatment, while in the case of letters there is no such need whatsoever.

I maintain, then, that we should make peace, not only with the Chians, the Rhodians, the Byzantines and the Coans, but with all mankind.

Whetstones are not themselves able to cut, but make iron sharp and capable of cutting.

Conduct yourself towards your parents as you would have your children conduct themselves towards you.

Regard as your most faithful friends, not those who praise everything you say or do, but those who criticize your mistakes.

Always when you are about to say anything, first weigh it in your mind; for with many the tongue outruns the thought.

Consider that nothing in human life is stable; for then you will not exult overmuch in prosperity, nor grieve overmuch in adversity. Rejoice over the good things which come to you, but grieve in moderation over the evils which befall you.

Of all our possessions, wisdom alone is immortal.

But I marvel when I observe these men setting themselves up as instructors of youth who cannot see that they are applying the analogy of an art with hard and fast rules to a creative process

If you be a lover of instruction, you will be well instructed.

Guard yourself against accusations, even if they are false; for the multitude are ignorant of the truth and look only to reputation.

It is not fitting that the evil produced by men should be imputed to things; let those bear the blame who make an ill use of things in themselves good.

Spend your leisure time in cultivating an ear attentive to discourse, for in this way you will find that you learn with ease what others have found out with difficulty.

Be gracious to all men, but choose the best to be your friends.

If all who are engaged in the profession of education were willing to state the facts instead of making greater promises than they can possibly fulfill, they would not be in such bad repute with the lay- public.

Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.

To be busy with material affairs is the best preservative against reflection, fears, doubts, all these things which stand in the way of achievement. I suppose a fellow proposing to cut his throat would experience a sort of relief while occupied in stropping his razor carefully.

Whenever fortune wishes to joke, she lifts people from what is humble to the highest extremity of affairs.

In public affairs men are often better pleased that the truth, though known to everybody, should be wrapped up under a decent cover than if it were exposed in open daylight to the eyes of all the world.

I should have known the moment your lips met mine that we were having an affair with borrowed time.

The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.

We are confident that we will continue to play an active role in national affairs without disappointing everyone’s expectations.

I am not ashamed of anything – not my past, not my affairs, not my body, and most definitely not my desire.