Some persons hold that, while it is proper for the lawgiver to encourage and exhort men to virtue on moral grounds, in the expectation that those who have had a virtuous moral upbringing will respond, yet he is bound to impose chastisement and penalties on the disobedient and ill-conditioned, and to banish the incorrigible out of the state altogether. For (they argue) although the virtuous man, who guides his life by moral ideals, will be obedient to reason, the base, whose desires are fixed on pleasure, must be chastised by pain, like a beast of burden.

We become just by performing just action, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave action.

When a draco has eaten much fruit, it seeks the juice of the bitter lettuce; it has been seen to do this.

This much then, is clear: in all our conduct it is the mean that is to be commended.

One has no friend who has many friends.

While fiction is often impossible, it should not be implausible.

All men seek one goal: success or happiness.