The surest sign of the estrangement of the opinions of two persons is when they both say something ironical to each other and neither of them feels the irony.

The most spiritual human beings, assuming they are the most courageous, also experience by far the most painful tragedies: but it is precisely for this reason that they honor life, because it brings against them its most formidable weapons.

The noble man honours in himself the powerful one, him also who has power over himself, who knows how to speak and how to keep silence, who takes pleasure in subjecting himself to severity and hardness, and has reverence for all that is severe and hard.

We would not let ourselves be burned to death for our opinions: we are not sure enough of them for that.

We must repay goodness and wickedness: but why exactly to the person who has done us a good or a wicked turn?

If an architect wants to strengthen a decrepit arch, he increases the load laid upon it, for thereby the parts are joined more firmly together.

By means of music the very passions, enjoy themselves.