Neither old people nor sour people seem to make friends easily; for there is little that is pleasant in them.

The real difference between democracy and oligarchy is poverty and wealth. Wherever men rule by reason of their wealth, whether they be few or many, that is an oligarchy, and where the poor rule, that is a democracy.

Ancient laws remain in force long after the people have the power to change them.

Temperance is a mean with regard to pleasures.

Happiness seems to require a modicum of external prosperity.

As to adultery, let it be held disgraceful, in general, for any man or woman to be found in any way unfaithful when they are married, and called husband and wife. If during the time of bearing children anything of the sort occur, let the guilty person be punished with a loss of privileges in proportion to the offense.

Republics decline into democracies and democracies degenerate into despotisms.