"And so they grow richer and richer, and the more they think of making a fortune the less they think of virtue; for when riches and virtue are placed together in the scales of the balance, the one always rises as the other falls."

"I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think"

"Man's greatest privilege is the discussion of virtue."

"I do believe that there are gods, and in a far higher sense than that in which any of my accusers believe in them."

"I honor and love you: but why do you who are citizens of the great and mighty nation care so much about laying up the greatest amount of money and honor And reputation, and so little amount wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement of the soul? Re you not ashamed of these?... I do nothing but go about persuading you all, not to take thought for your persons and your properties, but first and chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul. I tell you that virtue is not given by more, but that from virtue comes money and every other good of man."

"I do believe that there are gods, and in a far higher sense than that in which any of my accusers believe in them."

"Beauty is a short-lived tyranny"

"How can you wonder your travels do you no good, when you carry yourself around with you?"

"And in knowing that you know nothing makes you the smartest of all."

"He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god."

"I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled [poets] to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean."

"How many things can I do without?"

"Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people."

"No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable."

"Is there not one true coin for which all things ought to exchange?- and that is wisdom; and only in exchange for this, and in company with this, is anything truly bought or sold, whether courage, temperance or justice. And is not all true virtue the companion of wisdom, no matter what fears or pleasures or other similar goods or evils may or may not attend her? But the virtue which is made up of these goods, when they are severed from wisdom and exchanged with one another, is a shadow of virtue only, nor is there any freedom or health or truth in her; but in the true exchange there is a purging away of all these things, and temperance, and justice, and courage, and wisdom herself, are a purgation of them."

"null"