A human being is a naturally political [animal].

He who cannot see the truth for himself, nor, hearing it from others, store it away in his mind, that man is utterly worthless.

Although it may be difficult in theory to know what is just and equal, the practical difficulty of inducing those to forbear who can, if they like, encroach, is far greater, for the weaker are always asking for equality and justice, but the stronger care for none of these things.

The Eyes are the organs of temptation, and the Ears are the organs of instruction.

Character is made by many acts; it may be lost by a single one.

We are what we repeatedly do... excellence, therefore, isn't just an act, but a habit and life isn't just a series of events, but an ongoing process of self-definition.

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.