To the rulers of the state then, if to any, it belongs of right to use falsehood, to deceive either enemies or their own citizens, for the good of the state: and no one else may meddle with this privilege.

Aspiring minds must sometimes sustain loss.

It behooves those who take the young to task to leave them room for excuse, lest they drive them to be hardened by too much rebuke.

If the head and the body are to be well, you must begin by curing the soul.

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

When you admonish a wrongdoer, do so gently, that it may not lead to hostility.

The form of law which I propose would be as follows: In a state which is desirous of being saved from the greatest of all plagues-not faction, but rather distraction-there should exist among the citizens neither extreme poverty nor, again, excessive wealth, for both are productive of great evil . . . Now the legislator should determine what is to be the limit of poverty or of wealth.