“Remind thyself that he whom thou lovest is mortal — that whatthou lovest is not thine own; it is given thee for the present, notirrevocably nor for ever, but even as a fig or a bunch of grapes atthe appointed season of the year”

“No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.”

“Even as the Sun doth not wait for prayers and incantations torise, but shines forth and is welcomed by all: so thou also waitnot for clapping of hands and shouts and praise to do thy duty;nay, do good of thine own accord, and thou wilt be loved like theSun.”

“If evil be said of thee, and if it be true, correct thyself; if it be a lie, laugh at it.”

“what thou lovest well isthy true heritagewhat thou lovest well shallnot be reft from thee”

“There is but one way to tranquility of mind and happiness, and that is to account no external things thine own, but to commit all to God.”

“That Socrates should ever have been so treated by the Athenians!" Slave! why say "Socrates"? Speak of the thing as it is: That ever then the poor body of Socrates should have been dragged away and haled by main force to prision! That ever hemlock should have been given to the body of Socrates; that that should have breathed its life away!—Do you marvel at this? Do you hold this unjust? Is it for this that you accuse God? Had Socrates no compensation for this? Where then for him was the ideal Good? Whom shall we hearken to, you or him? And what says he? "Anytus and Melitus may put me to death: to injure me is beyond their power." And again:— "If such be the will of God, so let it be.”