"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."

"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."

"Well, although I do not suppose that either of us know anything really beautiful & good, I am better off than he is- for he knows nothing & thinks that he knows; I neither know nor think that I know."

"Living well and beautifully and justly are all one thing."

"To express oneself badly is not only faulty as far as the language goes, but does some harm to the soul."

"There is no solution; seek it lovingly "

"God takes away the minds of poets, and uses them as his ministers, as he also uses diviners and holy prophets, in order that we who hear them may know them to be speaking not of themselves who utter these priceless words in a state of unconsciousness, but that God himself is the speaker, and that through them he is conversing with us. "

"The misuse of language induces evil in the soul"

"There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse."

"Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one."

"Wisdom begins in wonder."

"One who is injured ought not to return the injury, for on no account can it be right to do an injustice; and it is not right to return an injury, or to do evil to any man, however much we have suffered from him."