Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.

Art completes what nature cannot bring to finish. The artist gives us knowledge of nature's unrealized ends.

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

Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.

Tyrants preserve themselves by sowing fear and mistrust among the citizens by means of spies, by distracting them with foreign wars, by eliminating men of spirit who might lead a revolution, by humbling the people, and making them incapable of decisive action.

Now what is just and right is to be interpreted in the sense of 'what is equal'; and that which is right in the sense of being equal is to be considered with reference to the advantage of the state, and the common good of the citizens. And a citizen is one who shares in governing and being governed. He differs under different forms of government, but in the best state he is one who is able and willing to be governed and to govern with a view to the life of virtue.

In inventing a model we may assume what we wish, but should avoid impossibilities.