Prefer diligence before idleness, unless you esteem rust above brightness.

The true champion of justice, if he intends to survive even for a short time, must necessarily confine himself to private life and leave politics alone.

The democratic youth lives along day by day, gratifying the desire that occurs to him, at one time drinking and listening to the flute, at another downing water and reducing, now practicing gymnastic, and again idling and neglecting everything; and sometimes spending his time as though he were occupied in philosophy.

The essence of knowledge is self-knowledge.

Necessity, who is the mother of our invention.

An hour of play is worth a lifetime of conversation.

For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.