Even though many people prove to be ungrateful, do not let that stop you from benefiting others-for not only is beneficence in itself a noble and almost divine quality, it may also happen that while you practice it, you will encounter someone so grateful that he will make up for all the others' ingratitude.

If you attempt certain things at the right time, they are easy to accomplish - in fact, they almost get done by themselves. If you undertake them before the time is right, not only will they fail, but they will often become impossible to accomplish even when the time would have been right.

...be more guided by hope than fear.

It is a great matter to be in authority over others; for authority, if it be rightly used, will make you feared beyond your actual resources.

We fight to great disadvantage when we fight with those who have nothing to lose.

Since there is nothing so well worth having as friends, never lose a chance to make them.

He who imitates what is evil always goes beyond the example that is set; on the contrary, he who imitates what is good always falls short.