Untroubled, scornful, outrageous - that is how wisdom wants us to be: she is a woman and never loves anyone but a warrior.

There are men who desire power simply for the sake of the happiness it will bring; these belong chiefly to political parties.

Socrates condemned art because he preferred philosophy and only after much internal struggle did Plato accept this judgment.

Those with certain temperaments find no way to endure themselves except by striving towards going under.

Mastery has been achieved when one neither makes a mistake nor hesitates in the performance.

Nothing can be done about it: every master has but a single pupil--and he will not stay loyal to him--for he is also destined to become a master.

The humanity of famous intellectuals lies in being wrong with gracious courtesy when dealing with those who are not famous.