The soul’s impurity consists in bad judgments, and purification consists in producing in it right judgments, and the pure soul is one which has right judgments.
It is the sign of a dull mind to dwell upon the cares of the body, to prolong exercise, eating and drinking and other bodily functions. These things are best done by the way; all your attention must be given to the mind.
Who is not attracted by bright and pleasant children, to prattle, to creep, and to play with them?
It were no slight attainment could we merely fulfil what the nature of man implies.
No living being is held by anything so strongly as by its own needs. Whatever therefore appears a hindrance to these, be it brother, or father, or child, or mistress, or friend, is hated, abhorred, execrated.
Envy is the antagonist of the fortunate.
A vulgar man, in any ill that happens to him, blames others; a novice in philosophy blames himself; and a philosopher blames neither, the one nor the other.
A ship should not be held by a single anchor; neither should life depend upon a single hope.
The soul is unwillingly deprived of truth.
The origin of sorrow is this: to wish for something that does not come to pass.
Exceed due measure, and the most delightful things become the least delightful.
Reason is not measured by size or height, but by principle.
It is not events that disturb the minds of men, but the view they take of them.
To live a life of virtue, match up your thoughts, words, and deeds.
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?
It is impossible that happiness, and yearning for what is not present, should ever be united.
If you think you control things that are in the control of others, you will lament. You will be disturbed and you will blame both gods and men.
It was the first and most striking characteristic of Socrates never to become heated in discourse, never to utter an injurious or insulting word – on the contrary, he persistently bore insult from others and thus put an end to the fray.
To a reasonable creature, that alone is insupportable which is unreasonable; but everything reasonable may be supported.
Two principles we should always have ready – that there is nothing good or evil save in the will; and that we are not to lead events, but to follow them.