In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.

There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed and one who is not. It is simply unreasonable to expect that an armed man should obey one who is unarmed, or that an unarmed man should remain safe and secure when his servants are armed.

The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.

Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.

Men are of three different capacities: one understands intuitively; another understands so far as it is explained; and a third understands neither of himself nor by explanation. The first is excellent, the second, commendable, and the third, altogether useless.

A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example.

Since it is difficult to join them together, it is safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking.