A man who examines the saddle and bridle and not the animal itself when he is out to buy a horse is a fool; similarly, only an absolute fool values a man according to his clothes, or according to his position, which after all is only something we wear like clothing.

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.

Tis not the belly's hunger that costs so much, but its pride

He that by harshness of nature rules his family with an iron hand is as truly a tyrant as he who misgoverns a nation.

A good person dyes events with his own color . . . and turns whatever happens to his own benefit.

Many men would have arrived at wisdom had they not believed themselves to have arrived there already.

Many person might have achieved wisdom had they not supposed that they already possessed it.