Wilt thou, then, my soul, never be good and simple and one and naked, more manifest than the body which surrounds thee?

Let thy chief fort and place of defense be a mind free from passions. A stronger place and better fortified than this, hath no man.

Be like the cliff against which the waves continually break; but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.

It is possible to depart from life at this moment. Have this thought in mind whenever you act, speak, or think.

Think of the country mouse and of the town mouse, and of the alarm and trepidation of the town mouse.

Most of what we say and do is unnecessary: remove the superfluity, and you will have more time and less bother. So in every case one should prompt oneself: 'Is this, or is it not, something necessary?' And the removal of the unnecessary should apply not only to actions but to thoughts also: then no redundant actions either will follow.

A great estate is a great disadvantage to those who do not know how to use it, for nothing is more common than to see wealthy persons live scandalously and miserably; riches do them no service in order to virtue and happiness; therefore 'tis precept and principle, not an estate, that makes a man good for something.