My advice is really this: what we hear the philosophers saying and what we find in their writings should be applied in our pursuit of the happy life. We should hunt out the helpful pieces of teaching and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are capable of immediate practical application-not far far-fetched or archaic expressions or extravagant metaphors and figures of speech-and learn them so well that words become works.

Light griefs are plaintive , but great ones are dumb

Those griefs burn most which gall in secret.

Fire tries gold, misery tries brave men.

It is to the interest of the commonwealth of mankind that there should be someone who is unconquered, someone against whom fortune has no power.

If thou wishest to get rid of thy evil propensities, thou must keep far from evil companions.

What does reason demand of a man? A very easy thing-to live in accord with his own nature.