To be conscious that we are perceiving or thinking is to be conscious of our own existence.

No man of high and generous spirit is ever willing to indulge in flattery; the good may feel affection for others, but will not flatter them.

Speech is the representation of the mind, and writing is the representation of speech.

Music imitates (represents) the passions or states of the soul, such as gentleness, anger, courage, temperance, and their opposites.

Now the goodness that we have to consider is clearly human goodness, since the good or happiness which we set out to seek was human good and human happiness. But human goodness means in our view excellence of soul, not excellence of body.

It may be argued that peoples for whom philosophers legislate are always prosperous.

A good man may make the best even of poverty and disease, and the other ills of life; but he can only attain happiness under the opposite conditions