Socrates

The comic and the tragic lie inseparably close, like light and shadow.

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

Beware the barrenness of a busy life.

The end of life is to be like God, and the soul following God will be like Him.

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.

I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.

That man is rich whose pleasures are the cheapest.

If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

What is once well done is done forever.

Let your literary compositions be kept from the public eye for nine years at least.

Love can often be misguided and do as much harm as good, but respect can do only good. It assumes that the other person’s stature is as large as one’s own, his rights as reasonable, his needs as important.

Philosophers make imaginary laws for imaginary commonwealths, and their discourses are as the stars, which give little light because they are so high.

If you have inner peace, nobody can force you to be a slave to the outer reality.

Duties are not performed for duty’s sake, but because their neglect would make the man uncomfortable. A man performs but one duty -the duty of contenting his spirit, the duty of making himself agreeable to himself.

Speech is for the convenience of those who are hard of hearing; but there are many fine things which we cannot say if we have to shout.

The value of a dollar is social, as it is created by society.

Nothing goes by luck in composition. It allows of no tricks. The best you can write will be the best you are.

I would give all the wealth of the world, and all the deeds of all the heroes, for one true vision.

When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers.

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.

I have been breaking silence these twenty-three years and have hardly made a rent in it.