ethics Quotes

To know what virtue is is not enough; we must endeavor to possess and to practice it, or in some other manner actually ourselves to become good.

The start of reform is not just to make property equal, but to train noble people not to want more, and to stop lower classes from getting more.

No one who desires to become good will become good unless he does good things.

Most people are naturally more influenced by fear than by respect, and they avoid evil more because of the punishment it brings than because it's wrong.

What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.

The best friend is he that, when he wishes a person's good, wishes it for that person's own sake.

Emotions of any kind are produced by melody and rhythm; therefore by music a man becomes accustomed to feeling the right emotions; music has thus the power to form character, and the various kinds of music based on various modes... ...

The self-indulgent man craves for all pleasant things... and is led by his appetite to choose these at the cost of everything else.

The main goal of a statesman is to create a certain moral character in their citizens, specifically a tendency towards virtue and performing good actions.

We must be neither cowardly nor rash but courageous.