Quotes About Virtue

Justine," Zoe said, "I don't want to curse anyone." "Of course you don't, you're much too nice. But I don't have that problem.

The only virtue I want to claim is truth and nonviolence.

Sanity -- that is the great virtue of the ancient literature; the want of that is the great defect of the modern, in spite of its variety and power.

Whenever I'm around some who is modest, I think, 'Run like hell and all of fire.' You don't want modesty, you want humility.

When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility.

Never esteem men on account of their riches or their station. Respect goodness, find it where you may.

It is bias to think that the art of war is just for killing people. It is not to kill people, it is to kill evil. It is a strategem to give life to many people by killing the evil of one person.

Glory, built on selfish principles, is shame and guilt.

Virtue is a state of war, and to live in it we have always to combat with ourselves.

To call war the soil of courage and virtue is like calling debauchery the soil of love.

Peace is not the absence of war, but a virtue based on strength of character.

To ... not prepare is the greatest of crimes; to be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues.

A man must be both stupid and uncharitable who believes there is no virtue or truth but on his own side.

It is always good men who do the most harm in the world.

Selfishness is that detestable vice which no one will forgive in others, and no one is without himself.

There was only one virtue, pugnacity; only one vice, pacifism. That is an essential condition of war.

We cannot well do without our sins; they are the highway of our virtue.

Be of good courage, my son, and remember that the best men always make themselves.

A good man does not spy around for the black spots in others, but presses unswervingly on towards his mark.

A rubbish word. One he hardly ever used. The word had no moral weight. A person didn't need courage for "nice." "Nice" called for no sacrifice, no strength of character. If only all he'd ever had to do was be nice . . .

You don't have to have special skills to be a hero. You just have to do what's right, despite the cost.

It is a great virtue to be needed. Greater, even, than being liked

I think there's a natural goodness built into human beings. You know when you've stepped across the line into evil, and it's your life's challenge to try and stay on the right side of that line.