In [the soul] one part naturally rules, and the other is subject, and the virtue of the ruler we maintain to be different from that of the subject; the one being the virtue of the rational, and the other of the irrational part. Now, it is obvious that the same principle applies generally, and therefore almost all things rule and are ruled according to nature.

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.

It is clearly better that property should be private, but the use of it common; and the special business of the legislator is to create in men this benevolent disposition.

A democracy is a government in the hands of men of low birth, no property, and vulgar employments.

And this lies in the nature of things: What people are potentially is revealed in actuality by what they produce.

The only way to achieve true success is to express yourself completely in service to society.

All men agree that a just distribution must be according to merit in some sense; they do not all specify the same sort of merit, but democrats identify it with freemen, supporters of oligarchy with wealth (or noble birth), and supporters of aristocracy with excellence.