Justice is the feeling of a soul in love with order, and which is content with its own.
1746
There is not one of us who exposes himself with noble devotion to the dangers of public life without the hope of living gloriously in posterity.
63 BC
I searched for great men, and I always found only the apes of their own ideal.
1888
Why are we more susceptible to pain than to pleasure [...]? It is because pain agitates the strands of the bundle in a violent and destructive manner [...].
1774
Portrait of a Man
1545
There is a kind of contradiction between the two principles of human nature upon which religion is founded. Our natural terrors make us see a wicked deity [...]; our inclination to praise paints it as excellent and all-perfect.
1757
Let us fear falling into the misfortune of believing our own reason; let us be submissive in spirit and heart.
1764
An existence, in the course of centuries, is but a horse's leap over a ditch. Whoever fails to satisfy all of nature's inclinations during this time understands nothing of what humanity truly is.
4th century BC
I confess that it would be easier for me to concede matter and extension to the soul, than the capacity to move a body and be moved by it, to an immaterial being.
1643-1649
Marble capital and finial in the form of a sphinx
ca. 530 BCE
It is not every kind of agreement that puts an end to the state of nature, but only that by which one voluntarily enters into a society and forms a political body.
1690
[Humanity is a] virtue of profane morality, which it is necessary to stifle when one wants to be a good Christian; it almost never accords with the interests of the Divinity.
1768
The palace of the Caesars received, in a shorter space of time, four emperors, the soldiers bringing one in while chasing another out, just as on a stage.
100-120 AD
[Das Kapital] (1867), which is his main work as a writer.
March 17, 1883
Pietà
ca. 1657–60
One does not use the same [elocution] in written speech as in speech delivered in public.
329-323 BC
If you want to respect yourself and be honest, who will stop you? If you want to never be hindered or constrained, who will force you [...]?
c. 108 AD
The art [...] that no one can mark the limits of your capacity will remain [...] fruitless if you do not add to it the art of hiding the affections of your heart.
1636
The existence of a social class defined by the lack of personal and collective property is as shameful as slavery.
1957
Bronze statuette of a youth
4th–3rd century BCE
One finds [...] the fundamental, insurmountable antagonism between the mindset of the artist and that of the politician.
1896
It is not the largest population, considered in itself, that should be the judge of a State's prosperity.
1776
Mixtion is the diffusion of two or more bodies throughout their whole, with their qualities remaining, like fire in incandescent iron.
c. 253-270 AD
If [propositions] are false, it is not in themselves and taken in isolation, but because of their lack of connection with previous true judgments.
1805
Marble relief fragment with male torso
ca. 1st century BCE
I will not be sorry to sound out enlightened people on the thoughts I have just explained to you.
1696
How the Americans combat individualism with the doctrine of self-interest properly understood.
1835-1840
Once the main dogmas and principles of religion have been [...] entirely removed from the examination of reason; only then is it permissible to deduce [...] consequences from them.
1623
It is interest that breaks the bonds of all alliances; and, from this point of view, republics are much more faithful observers of treaties than are princes.
1513-1519
Bronze tripod base for a thymiaterion (incense burner)
ca. 475–450 BCE
Men cannot live together without agreeing and [...] without making mutual sacrifices, without binding themselves to one another in a strong and lasting way.
1893
It is the irony of life that the most energetic feelings of gratitude and devotion [...] develop in us towards those who, having the power to annihilate our existence [...], are pleased to abstain from it.
1869
Twice already I have tried to prepare a defense, and my daimon has opposed it.
4th century BC
It is customary to call youth the happy time, and old age the sad time of life. This would be true if the passions brought happiness.
1851
Stone spindle whorl
ca. 2400–1900 BCE
[...] the strength or facility to act that all creatures find in their operations being in this sense only the effective will of the Creator.
1674-1675
For morality there is no need of an end to act well, and the law alone, which contains the formal condition of the use of freedom in general, is sufficient.
1793
Absolute rest, driven out by the understanding, is restored by the imagination.
1922
Instead of the disgusting sides of life, its most brilliant faces were shown: it was finally a matter of love, heroism, and beauty!
1926
Portrait of a Young Boy
1591
I foresee that, when it is a question of defending myself, I will follow without scruple all the consequences of my principles.
1750
Little by little, the people grow accustomed to irreverence towards the magistrate, [...] learn to disobey willingly, and let themselves be led by the bait of liberty, or rather license, which is the sweetest and most tantalizing poison in the world.
c. 1552-1553
It cannot happen, without great damage to concord, that men and women govern equally.
1677
When we try to resist audacious men, they become more furious; if, on the contrary, we choose to yield to them, we see their fury immediately subside.
1263-1264
Terracotta plaque
27 BCE–68 CE
[Some doctrines are] among those that can only be taught by word of mouth, and a written discourse on the matter would be as much or more useless and cumbersome.
1642-1645
Wherever citizens have no part in government, [...] whoever is above need has no motive to study and learn; his soul is void of ideas.
1772
Not daring to speak frankly of oneself indicates a lack of courage.
1580
All these people you see walking with their heads held high have but a veneer of happiness.
63-64 AD
Marble statuette of Aphrodite Anadyomene (rising)
1st century CE