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.

Prudence and love cannot be mixed; you can end love, but never moderate it.

Fidelity bought with money is overcome by money.

Great grief does not of itself put an end to itself.

He, who decides a case without hearing the other side, though he decides justly, cannot be considered just.

Our minds must relax: they will rise better and keener after rest. Just as you must not force fertile farmland, as uninterrupted productivity will soon exhaust it, so constant effort will sap our mental vigour, while a short period of rest and relaxation will restore our powers. Unremitting effort leads to a kind of mental dullness and lethargy.

Who shrinks from knowledge of his calamities but aggravates his fear; troubles half seen, shall torture all the more.