By education I mean that training in excellence from youth upward which makes a man passionately desire to be a perfect citizen, and teaches him to rule, and to obey, with justice. This is the only education which deserves the name."

Poets utter great and wise things which they do not themselves understand.

The beginning is the most important part of the work.

Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.

Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought no to be feared.