Great Throughts Treasury

"Modesty is the color of virtue."

"Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad."

"Of what use is a philosopher who doesn't hurt anybody's feelings?"

"Once he saw a youth blushing, and addressed him, "Courage, my boy; that is the complexion of virtue.""

"Sacrifice to the Graces."

"Sleep and Death are brothers."

"Stand a little less between me and the sun."

"Thales was asked what was most difficult to man; he answered: "To know one's self.""

"The art of being a slave is to rule one's master."

"The great thieves lead away the little thief."

"The mob is the mother of tyrants."

"The mountains too, at a distance, appear airy masses and smooth, but seen near at hand they are rough."

"The truly noble mind has no resentments."

"The vine bears three kinds of grapes: the first of pleasure, the second of intoxication, the third of disgust."

"There is nothing so good to make a horse fat, as the eye of his master."

"There is only a finger's difference between a wise man and a fool."

"Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others, while itself is insensible of the music."

"Virtue was sufficient of herself for happiness."

"When asked what kind of wine he liked to drink he replied, "That which belongs to another.""

"When I look upon seamen, men of science and philosophers, man is the wisest of all beings; when I look upon priests and prophets nothing is as contemptible as man."

"What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others."

"You ask what hope is. He (Aristotle) says it is a waking dream."

"Wise kings generally have wise counselors; and he must be a wise man himself who is capable of distinguishing one."