The society that loses its grip on the past is in danger, for it produces men who know nothing but the present, and who are not aware that life had been, and could be, different from what it is.

Pleasure causes us to do base actions and pain causes us to abstain from doing noble actions.

Happiness is a thing honored and perfect. This seems to be borne out by the fact that it is a first principle or starting-point, since all other things that all men do are done for its sake; and that which is the first principle and cause of things good we agree to be something honorable and divine.

Prosperity makes friends and adversity tries them. A true friend is one soul in two bodies

It is our choice of good or evil that determines our character, not our opinion about good or evil.

Even if we could suppose the citizen body to be virtuous, without each of them being so, yet the latter would be better, for in the virtue of each the virtue of all is involved.

The two qualities which chiefly inspire regard and affection are that a thing is your own and that it is your only one.