Greatness stands upon a precipice, and if prosperity carries a man never so little beyond his poise, it overbears and dashes him to pieces.

Democracy is more cruel than wars or tyrants.

It is medicine, not scenery, for which a sick man must go searching.

What madness it is for a man to starve himself to enrich his heir, and so turn a friend into an enemy! For his joy at your death will be proportioned to what you leave him.

Whereas a prolonged life is not necessarily better, a prolonged death is necessarily worse.

What should a wise person do when given a blow? Same as Cato when he was attacked; not fire up or revenge the insult., or even return the blow, but simply ignore it.

Wisdom comes to no one by chance.