What is beautiful is then beautiful, when a man has no need of the assistance of another, but when he contains in himself all the signs of excellence as his own.
SER. X.
It is well that the worse should always follow the better, on account of the hope of improvement.
SER. XI.
One ought to call a city, and a country, and a house, happy, when they contain a virtuous man; and one ought to call those miserable, when they have no such man within them.
SER. XVI.
Those who are tyrannical in their natures, but without power, make their designs succeed by treachery.
SER. XX.
The friendships of the wicked are mischievous, and very often the soul of such men, being influenced by such associations, takes the impressions of downright insanity.
It is not the country which makes men bad, or the city which makes them good, but the habits of living with such and such men.
SER. XXVIII.
One need not dread the blow of a weak man, nor the threat of a fool.
Light-minded men, like empty vessels, may easily be taken and moved by their ears.
SER. XXX.
Nothing that is done can be beautiful without scientific contemplation, for knowledge is the offspring of counsel, but folly is the source of all evils.
Every argument on behalf of justice is superfluous, when those who listen are unanimous in a bad object.
SER. XXXVIII.
The wicked man disturbs the city, and is eager for the confusion and the disorder of all men and all things within the city; for a desire of interference, and covetousness, and the acts of a demagogue, and the influence with the populace, are looked upon as honours by such a man, and quiet he looks upon with disdain.
Excellence is a thing difficult to find, or rather is absolutely undiscoverable in a troubled life.
SER. XLIII.
There is nothing so calculated to cause good will as kind words, on account of good actions.
SER. XLVII.
It is sufficient not to bear witness one’s self, but that which stands in need of the advocacy of another is inadequate to bring conciliation to the mind.
SER. LII.
Reject with aversion the deceitful words of flatterers, for they, obscuring reason, do not contribute to the truth of things; for either they praise actions which are deserving of blame, or else they often blame things beyond all praise.
SER. LVI.
Peace is the greatest blessing which no man is able to afford, since this is a divine action.
SER. LVII.
Behave to your servants in the same manner in which you desire that God should behave to you; for as we hear them we shall be heard by him, and as we regard them we shall be regarded by him. Let us therefore let our compassion outrun compassion, that we may receive a like requital from him for our mercy to them.
SER. LXIX.
How great a relief of nature is sleep, it is the image of death, and the rest of the outward senses.
Sleep is one thing only, but the desire of it has many reasons and causes; I mean from nature, from food, from fate, and perhaps also from excessive and intense fasting, by means of which the flesh, becoming unnerved and deprived of strength, wishes to recover itself for subsequent actions by means of sleep.
As much drinking is called a habit, so is much sleep, and it is difficult to get rid of an inveterate habit.
SER. LXXIV.
Pardon is apt to engender repentance.
SER. LXXIX.
Shamelessness is the characteristic of a worthless man, and modesty of a virtuous man, but never to feel either ashamed or bold is a mark of one who is slow of comprehension, and who is without the power of giving assent.
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