Of all the Gods, Love is the best friend of humankind, the helper and healer of all ills that stand in the way of human happiness.

Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.

Knowledge is true opinion.

The essence of knowledge is self-knowledge.

Thinking and spoken discourse are the same thing, except that what we call thinking is, precisely, the inward dialogue carried on by the mind with itself without spoken sound.

Don't ask a poet to explain himself. He cannot.

In particular I may mention Sophocles the poet, who was once asked in my presence, How do you feel about love, Sophocles? are you still capable of it? to which he replied, Hush! if you please: to my great delight I have escaped from it, and feel as if I had escaped from a frantic and savage master. I thought then, as I do now, that he spoke wisely. For unquestionably old age brings us profound repose and freedom from this and other passions.