What disturbs and alarms man are not the things, but his opinions and fancies about the things.

There is but one way to tranquility of mind and happiness, and that is to account no external things thine own, but to commit all to God.

Let death and exile, and all other things which appear terrible be daily before your eyes, but chiefly death, and you win never entertain any abject thought, nor too eagerly covet anything.

Reason is not measured by size or height, but by principle.

No man is able to make progress when he is wavering between opposite things.

If I was a nightingale I would sing like a nightingale; if a swan, like a swan. But since I am a rational creature my role is to praise God.

Whoever wants to be free, therefore, let him not want or avoid anything that is up to others. Otherwise he will necessarily be a slave.