Quotes from Aristotle

Hope is the dream of a waking man

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ~ Aristotle Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. ~ Aristotle

The man who does not enjoy doing noble actions is not a good man at all.

governments, which have a regard to the common interest, are constituted in accordance with strict principles of justice, and are therefore true forms; but those which regard only the interest of the rulers are all defective and perverted forms, for they are despotic, whereas a state is a community of freemen.

The idea of a king is to be a protector of the rich against unjust treatment, of the people against insult and oppression. Whereas a tyrant, as has often been repeated, has no regard to any public interest, except as conducive to his private ends; his aim is pleasure, the aim of a king, honor. Wherefore also in their desires they differ; the tyrant is desirous of riches, the king, of what brings honor. And the guards of a king are citizens, but of a tyrant mercenaries.

The man who is isolated, who is unable to share in the benefits of political association, or has no need to share because he is already self-sufficient, is no part of the polis, and must therefore be either a beast or a god.

That which is in locomotion must arrive at the half-way stage before it arrives at the goal.

Tis the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

The ideal man bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of circumstances. — Aristotle

It is impossible that there should be demonstration of absolutely everything; [for then] there would be an infinite regress, so that there would still be no demonstration.

Character is that which reveals moral purpose, showing what kind of things a man chooses or avoids.

Inequality is everywhere at the bottom of faction, for in general faction arises from men's striving for what is equal.

Some men are just as sure of the truth of their opinions as are others of what they know.

Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities.

The government is everywhere sovereign in the state, and the constitution is in fact the government.

At the Olympic Games, it isn't the most beautiful or strongest who are crowned, but those who compete.

The blood of a goat will shatter a diamond.

Friends are an aid to the young, to guard them from error; to the elderly, to attend to their wants and to supplement their failing power of action; to those in the prime of life, to assist them to noble deeds.

Nobody will be afraid who believes nothing can happen to him.

Since the branch of philosophy on which we are at present engaged differs from the others in not being a subject of merely intellectual interest — I mean we are not concerned to know what goodness essentially is, but how we are to become good men, for this alone gives the study its practical value — we must apply our minds to the solution of the problems of conduct.

By myth I mean the arrangement of the incidents

The happy life is thought to be one of excellence; now an excellent life requires exertion, and does not consist in amusement. If Eudaimonia, or happiness, is activity in accordance with excellence, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest excellence; and this will be that of the best thing in us.

He who has many friends has no friends.

For it is owing to their wonder that men both now begin and at first began to philosophize.