. .we would have to say that hereditary succession is harmful. You may say the king, having sovereign power, will not in that case hand over to his children. But it is hard to believe that: it is a difficult achievement, which expects too much virtue of human nature.

All teaching and all intellectual learning come about from already existing knowledge.

The life of money-making is one undertaken under compulsion, and wealth is evidently not the good we are seeking; for it is merely useful and for the sake of something else.

It would be wrong to put friendship before the truth.

Friends are much better tried in bad fortune than in good.

A friend to all is a friend to none.

When you are lonely, when you feel yourself an alien in the world, play Chess. This will raise your spirits and be your counselor in war