“He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god.”

When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser.

Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity.

There is no solution; seek it lovingly.

The highest realms of thought are impossible to reach without first attaining an understanding of compassion.

It is not difficult to avoid death, gentlemen of the jury; it is much more difficult to avoid wickedness, for it runs faster than death.

A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.

Wisdom begins in wonder.

Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.

There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse.

Life contains but two tragedies. One is not to get your heart’s desire; the other is to get it.

To express oneself badly is not only faulty as far as the language goes, but does some harm to the soul.

Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.

The misuse of language induces evil in the soul.

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.

A man who really fights for justice must lead a private, not a public, life if he is to survive for even a short time.

I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.