Quotes from Baruch Spinoza, The Ethics

Blessedness is not the reward of virtue, but virtue itself; neither do we rejoice therein, because we control our lusts, but contrariwise, because we rejoice therein, we are able to control our lusts.

He who loves God cannot endeavor that God should love him in return.

The highest endeavor of the mind, and the highest virtue, is to understand things by intuition.

The mind has greater power over the emotions, and is less subject thereto, insofar as it understands all things to be necessary.