— If I had followed the multitude, I should not have studied philosophy.
“Et si domus pulchra sit, intelligamus eam dominis aedificatam esse, non muribus: sic igitur mundum deorum domum existimare debemus.”
— We should infer in the case of a beautiful dwelling-place that it was built for its owners and not for mice; we ought, therefore, in the same way to regard the universe as the dwelling-place of the gods.
“Ipsumque mundum deum dicit esse et eius animi fusionem universam.”
— The universe itself is God, or an emanation of the divine mind.
— If I knew that it was fated for me to be sick, I would even move toward it; for the foot also, if it had intelligence, would move to go into the mud.
“sapientem nulla re egere et tamen multis illi rebus opus esse. contra stulto nulla re opus est, nulla enim re uti scit, sed omnibus eget.”
— The wise man is in want of nothing, and yet needs many things. On the other hand, nothing is needed by the fool, for he does not understand how to use anything, but he is in want of everything.
“Qui stadium currit, eniti et contendere debet, quam maxime possit, ut vincat; supplantare eum, quocum certer, aut manu depellere nullo modo debet. Sic in vita sibi quemque petere quod pertineat ad usum, non iniquum est: alteri deripere ius non est.”
— He who is running a race ought to endeavor and strive to the utmost of his ability to come off victor; but it is utterly wrong for him to trip up his competitor, or to push him aside. So in life it is not unfair for one to seek for himself what may accrue to his benefit; but it is not right to take it from another.
Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.
