When a man's eyes are sore his friends do not let him finger them, however much he wishes to, nor do they themselves touch the inflammation: But a man sunk in grief suffers every chance comer to stir and augment his affliction like a running sore; and by reason of the fingering and consequent irritation it hardens into a serious and intractable evil.

Our nature holds so much envy and malice that our pleasure in our own advantages is not so great as our distress at others'.

Speech is like cloth of Arras opened and put abroad, whereby the imagery doth appear in figure; whereas in thoughts they lie but as packs.

The crowns of kings do not prevent those who wear them from being tormented sometimes by violent headaches.

A warrior carries his shield for the sake of the entire line.

The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in good education.

So long as he was personally present, [Alcibiades] had the perfect mastery of his political adversaries; calumny only succeeded in his absence.