Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.
It is absurd to hold that a man should be ashamed of an inability to defend himself with his limbs, but not ashamed of an inability to defend himself with speech and reason; for the use of rational speech is more distinctive of a human being than the use of his limbs.
Music has the power of producing a certain effect on the moral character of the soul, and if it has the power to do this, it is clear that the young must be directed to music and must be educated in it.
It is easy to perform a good action, but not easy to acquire a settled habit of performing such actions.
The habits we form from childhood make no small difference, but rather they make all the difference.
Courage is the first virtue that makes all other virtues possible.
Nature does nothing in vain. Therefore, it is imperative for persons to act in accordance with their nature and develop their latent talents, in order to be content and complete.
The best way to teach morality is to make it a habit with children.
Jealousy is both reasonable and belongs to reasonable men, while envy is base and belongs to the base, for the one makes himself get good things by jealousy, while the other does not allow his neighbour to have them through envy.
Money originated with royalty and slavery, it has nothing to do with democracy or the struggle of the empoverished enslaved majority.
The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.
The soul never thinks without a picture.
Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting in a particular way.
There is a foolish corner in the brain of the wisest man.
Ancient laws remain in force long after the people have the power to change them.
The happy life is regarded as a life in conformity with virtue. It is a life which involves effort and is not spent in amusement.
We should venture on the study of every kind of animal without distaste; for each and all will reveal to us something natural and something beautiful.
Meanness is incurable; it cannot be cured by old age, or by anything else.
Tyrants preserve themselves by sowing fear and mistrust among the citizens by means of spies, by distracting them with foreign wars, by eliminating men of spirit who might lead a revolution, by humbling the people, and making them incapable of decisive action...
The so-called Pythagoreans, who were the first to take up mathematics, not only advanced this subject, but saturated with it, they fancied that the principles of mathematics were the principles of all things.