Quotes About Character

The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be; all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.

The shortest and surest way to live with honour in the world, is to be in reality what we would appear to be; and if we observe, we shall find, that all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice of them.

Think not faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults

The greatest way to live with honour in this world is to be what we pretend to be.

I pray Thee, O God, that I may be beautiful within.

Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of -- for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again. The way to a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.

Virtue does not come from wealth, but. . . wealth, and every other good thing which men have. . . comes from virtue.

Give me beauty in the inward soul; may the outward and the inward man be at one.

It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit.

Be true to thine own self

Be as you wish to seem

Such as thy words are such will thine affections be esteemed and such as thine affections will be thy deeds and such as thy deeds will be thy life ...

the great honor in the world is to be what we pretend to be

The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.

The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.

A man who preserves his integrity no real, long-lasting harm can ever come.

You are mistaken, my friend, if you think that a man who is worth anything ought to spend his time weighing up the prospects of life and death. He has only one thing to consider in performing any action; that is, whether he is acting justly or unjustly, like a good man or a bad one.

Virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue comes money and every other good of man, public as well as private.

Someone might say: " Are you not ashamed, Socrates, to have followed the kind of occupation that has led to your being now in danger of death?" Howeverm, I should be right to reply to him: "You are wrong, sir, if you think that a man who is any good at all should take into account the risk of life or death; he should look to this only in his actions, whether what he does is right or wrong, whether he is acting like a good or bad man

Nothing that other people can do to you can harm you enough to cancel out the benefit you bestow on yourself by acting rightly. It follows that bad people ultimately harm only themselves: nothing can harm a good man either in life or after death

The purpose in life is to develop a strong character.

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

People will die as they have lived, as themselves.

he was soon drawn into a circle of associates who did not improve either his habits or his morals.