“If a man is commonplace in conversation and rare in writing, that means that his capacity is in the place from which he borrows it, and not in himself. A learned man is not learned in all matters; but the capable man is capable in all matters, even in ignorance.” III.2 “Of repentance” (p. 741)
“A starving man would be very foolish to try and provide himself with a fine garment rather than with a good meal: we must run to what is most urgent.” II.16 “Of glory” (569)
“However, the weakness of our condition often pushes us to the necessity of using evil means to a good end.” II. 23 “Of evil means employed to a good end” (p. 629)
“We are nothing but ceremony; ceremony carries us away, and we leave the substance of things; we hang on to the branches and abandon the trunk and body.” II.17 “Of presumption” (581).
“Those who want to split up our two principal parts and sequester them from each other are wrong. On the contrary, we must couple and join them together again. We must order the soul not to draw aside and entertain itself apart, not to scorn and abandon the body (nor can it do so except…
“It is possible that in those who employ their time well, knowledge and experience grow with living; but vivacity, quickness, firmness, and other qualities much more our own, more important and essential, wither and languish.” I.57 (p. 289)
“It seems that the universe somehow suffers by our annihilation and that is has compassion for our state.” II. 13 “Of judging the death of others” (p. 556)
“He is indeed our sole and unique protector, and can do anything to help us; but although he deigns to honor us with that sweet fatherly relationship, nevertheless, he is as just as he is good and as he is powerful. But he exercises his justice much more often than his power, and favors us…