Books like Laws

Quotes

“For what men in general term peace would be said by him to be only a name; in reality every city is in a natural state of war with every other, not indeed proclaimed by heralds, but everlasting.”
Book I
“Now goods are of two kinds: there are human and there are divine goods, and the human hang upon the divine; and the state which attains the greater, at the same time acquires the less, or, not having the greater, has neither.”
Book I
“Under the ancient laws, my friends, the people was not as now the master, but rather the willing servant of the laws.”
Book III
“There are many noble things in human life, but to most of them attach evils which are fated to corrupt and spoil them. Is not justice noble, which has been the civiliser of humanity? How then can the advocate of justice be other than noble?”
Book XI
“Wait awhile, and do not attempt to judge at present of the highest things; and that is the highest of which you now think nothing--to know the Gods rightly and to live accordingly.”
Book X

Passages chosen with AI from the book's public-domain text on Project Gutenberg. Translated by Benjamin Jowett.