Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not.

The greater the Difficulty the more Glory in surmounting it, and the loss of false Joys secures to us a much better Possession of real ones.

A strict belief in fate is the worst of slavery, imposing upon our necks an everlasting lord and tyrant, whom we are to stand in awe of night and day.

It is vain to ask of the gods what man is capable of supplying for himself.

Any device whatever by which one frees himself from the fear of others is a natural good.

Never say that I have taken it, only that I have given it back.