A pretty face may be enough to catch a man, but it takes character and good nature to hold him.

Instead of inflicting these horrible punishments, it would be far more to the point to provide everyone with some means of livelihood, so that nobody's under the frightful necessity of becoming, first a thief, and then a corpse.

By reason of gifts and bribes the offices be given to rich men, which should rather have been executed by wise men.

Occupy your mind with good thoughts, or the enemy will fill them with bad ones.

Take something from yourself, to give to another, that is humane and gentle and never takes away as much comfort as it brings again.

. . . the state of things and the dispositions of men were then such, that a man could not well tell whom he might trust or whom he might fear.

It is naturally given to all men to esteem their own inventions best.