The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.

When you close your doors, and make darkness within, remember never to say that you are alone, for you are not alone; nay, God is within, and your genius is within. And what need have they of light to see what you are doing?

The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.

It is impossible that happiness, and yearning for what is not present, should ever be united.

Bear in mind that you should conduct yourself in life as at a feast.

All human beings seek the happy life, but many confuse the means - for example, wealth and status - with that life itself. This misguided focus on the means to a good life makes people get further from the happy life. The really worthwhile things are the virtuous activities that make up the happy life, not the external means that may seem to produce it.

Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a habit.