Quotes About Ethics

To the best of my judgment, when I look at the human character I see no virtue placed there to counter justice. But I see one to counter pleasure: self-control.

When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly. They are like this because they can't tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own—not of the same blood or birth, but the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine.

How cruel it is not to allow a man to strive after the things which appear to them to be suitable to their nature and profitable! And yet in a manner thou dost not allow them to do this, when thou art vexed because they do wrong. For they are certainly moved towards things because they suppose them to be suitable to their nature and profitable to them - But it is not so - Teach them, then, and show them without being angry.

If it doesn't harm your character, how can it harm your life?

How ridiculous not to flee from one's own wickedness, which is possible, yet endeavour to flee from another's, which is not.

He that sinneth, sinneth unto himself. He that is unjust, hurts himself, in that he makes himself worse than he was before. Not he only that committeth, but he also that omitteth something, is oftentimes unjust.

About what am I now employing my own soul? On every occasion I must ask myself this question, and inquire, What have I now in this part of me which they call the ruling principle? and whose soul have I now,—that of a child, or of a young man, or of a feeble woman, or of a tyrant, or of a domestic animal, or of a wild beast?

To stop talking about what the good man is like, and just be one.

Receive [wealth or prosperity] without arrogance; and be ready to let it go.

The truly fortunate person has created his own good fortune through good habits of the soul, good intentions, and good actions.

Whatever anyone does or says, I must be good; just as if the emerald were always saying this: Whatever anyone does or says, I must still be emerald, and keep my color.

X. Labour not as one to whom it is appointed to be wretched, nor as one that either would be pitied, or admired; but let this be thine only care and desire; so always and in all things to prosecute or to forbear, as the law of charity, or mutual society doth require.

The Stoic makes no differentiation between a small act of kindness by a simple person and a great act of virtue from a learned sage. Virtue is virtue, and in both cases the result is happiness for the one who is virtuous.

Justice: so that you'll speak the truth, frankly and without evasions, and act as you should—and as other people deserve.

When you deal with irrational animals, with things and circumstances, be generous and straightforward. You are rational; they are not. When you deal with fellow human beings, behave as one. They share in the logos. And invoke the gods regardless. Don't worry about how long you'll go on doing this. A single afternoon would be enough. 24.

73. When you have done a good act and another has received it, why do you look for a third thing besides these, as fools do, either to have the reputation of having done a good act or to obtain a return?

If he have sinned, his is the harm, not mine. But perchance he hath not.

that evil must be overcome with good.

No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be, but be such.

And he who pursues pleasure will not abstain from injustice, and this is plainly impiety.

Remember: philosophy requires only what your nature already demands. What you've been after is something else again—something unnatural.

Es ridículo no intentar evitar tu propia maldad, lo cual es posible, y, en cambio, intentar evitar la de los demás, lo cual es lo imposible.

The best way of avenging thyself is not to become like [the wrong-doer].

whilst yet thou livest, whilst thou mayest, be good.