“What a man wishes, he will believe.”

Every dictator is an enemy of freedom, an opponent of law.

The man who has received a benefit ought always to remember it, but he who has granted it ought to forget the fact at once.

The end of wisdom is consultation and deliberation.

We need money, for sure, Athenians, and without money nothing can be done that ought to be done.

It is not possible to found a lasting power upon injustice, perjury, and treachery.

The sower of the seed is assuredly the author of the whole harvest of mischief.

I decline to buy repentance at the cost of ten thousand drachmas.

What we have in us of the image of God is the love of truth and justice.

A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true.

There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots – suspicion.

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.

As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish.

You cannot have a proud and chivalrous spirit if your conduct is mean and paltry; for whatever a man’s actions are, such must be his spirit.

Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.

The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves.

The more able a man is, if he make ill use of his abilities, the more dangerous will he be to the commonwealth.