Nothing is more unworthy of a wise man, or ought to trouble him more, than to have allowed more time for trifling, and useless things, than they deserve.

The worst of all deceptions is self-deception.

If it is naturally in you to be a good orator, a notable orator you will be when you have acquired knowledge and practice.

Let him know how to choose the mean and avoid the extremes on either side, as far as possible. . . . For this is the way of happiness.

Pleasure is the bait of sin

Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophise, that is, until political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,... nor, I think, will the human race.

Come then, and let us pass a leisure hour in storytelling, and our story shall be the education of our heroes.