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Cling to your own judgment
“There is no one but yourself who knows whether you are cowardly and cruel, or loyal and devout. Others do not see you, they guess at you by uncertain conjectures; they see not so much your nature as your art. Therefore do not cling to their judgment; cling to your own.” III.2 “Of repentance” (p.743)
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Languid motion
“Stability itself is nothing but a more languid motion.” III.2 “Of repentance” (p.740)
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No Superficial Repentance
“I know no superficial, halfway, and perfunctory repentance. It must affect me in every part before I will call it so, and must grip me by the vitals and afflict them as deeply and as completely as God sees into me.” Of Repentance (749)
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Repentance
“God must touch our hearts. Our conscience must reform by itself through the strengthening of our reason, not through the weakening of our appetites.” III.2 “Of repentance” (p. 740)
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I portray passing
“I cannot keep my subject still. It goes along befuddled and staggering, with a natural drunkenness. I take it in this condition, just as it is at the moment I give my attention to it. I do not portray being: I portray passing.” III 2. “Of repentance” (p. 740).
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Man’s estate
“I set forth a humble and inglorious life; that does not matter. You can tie up all moral philosophy with a common and private life just as well as with a life of richer stuff. Each man bears the entire form of man’s estate.” III.2 “Of repentance” (p. 740)
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On making essays
“If my mind could gain a firm footing, I would not make essays, I would make decisions” III.2 “Of repentance” (p. 740)
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On the world and its movement
“The world is but a perennial movement. All things in it are in constant motion— the earth, the rocks of the Caucasus, the pyramids of Egypt— both with the common motion and with their own.” III.2 “Of repentance” (p.740)
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On saying silly things
“No one is exempt from saying silly things. The misfortune is to say them with earnest effort.” III. 1 “Of the useful and the honorable” (p. 726)
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Seneca’s last words
“And [Seneca’s] last words remained long afterword in credit and honor among men (it is a very grievous loss to us that they have not come down to us).” II.35 “Of three good women” (p. 688)