ARISTOTLE QUOTES IX

Greek philosopher (384 B.C. - 322 B.C.)

Happiness, whether consisting in pleasure or virtue, or both, is more often found with those who are highly cultivated in their minds and in their character, and have only a moderate share of external goods, than among those who possess external goods to a useless extent but are deficient in higher qualities.

ARISTOTLE

Politics

Tags: happiness


Rhetoric is the counterpart of logic; since both are conversant with subjects of such a nature as it is the business of all to have a certain knowledge of, and which belong to no distinct science. Wherefore all men in some way participate of both; since all, to a certain extent, attempt, as well to sift, as to maintain an argument; as well to defend themselves, as to impeach.

ARISTOTLE

Rhetoric


Irrational passions would seem to be as much a part of human nature as is reason.

ARISTOTLE

Nichomachean Ethics

Tags: passion


A man who has been well trained will not in any case look for more accuracy than the nature of the matter allows; for to expect exact demonstration from a rhetorician is as absurd as to accept from a mathematician a statement only probable.

ARISTOTLE

Nicomachean Ethics


By plot, I here mean the arrangement of the incidents.

ARISTOTLE

Poetics


In the human constitution, therefore, mind governs matter absolutely and despotically; but reason governs appetite with a far more limited sway.

ARISTOTLE

Politics

Tags: mind


It is absurd to hold that a man ought to be ashamed of being unable to defend himself with his limbs, but not of being unable to defend himself with speach and reason, when the use of rational speech is more distinctive of a human being than the use of his limbs.

ARISTOTLE

Rhetoric


If, then, God is always in that good state in which we sometimes are, this compels our wonder; and if in a better this compels it yet more. And God is in a better state. And life also belongs to God; for the actuality of thought is life, and God is that actuality; and God's self-dependent actuality is life most good and eternal.

ARISTOTLE

Metaphysics

Tags: God


The evil fortune of the living in no way affects the dead.

ARISTOTLE

Nicomachean Ethics

Tags: life


Poetry demands a man with a special gift for it, or else one with a touch of madness in him.

ARISTOTLE

Poetics

Tags: poetry, madness


For the medium being the same, and the objects the same, the poet may imitate by narration--in which case he can either take another personality as Homer does, or speak in his own person, unchanged--or he may represent all his characters as living and moving before us.

ARISTOTLE

Poetics

Tags: poetry


Nothing can be truly just which is inconsistent with humanity.

ARISTOTLE

Politics

Tags: humanity


The advantageous situation of the capital and of the territory is necessarily a part of the common stock; and all men who inhabit the same city and country must breathe the same air, and enjoy the same climate.

ARISTOTLE

Politics


It is not to avoid cold or hunger that tyrants cover themselves with blood; and states decree the most illustrious rewards, not to him who catches a thief, but to him who kills an usurper.

ARISTOTLE

Politics

Tags: tyranny


We are masters of our actions from the beginning up to the very end. But, in the case of our habits, we are only masters of their commencement--each particular little increase being as imperceptible as in the case of bodily infirmities. But yet our habits are voluntary, in that it was once in our power to adopt or not to adopt such or such a course of conduct.

ARISTOTLE

Nicomachean Ethics

Tags: habit


Beauty is the gift from God.

ARISTOTLE

Nicomachean Ethics

Tags: beauty


Man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all.

ARISTOTLE

Politics


Man delights in society far more than do bees or herds.

ARISTOTLE

Politics

Tags: society


Nature flies from the infinite, for the infinite is unending or imperfect, and Nature ever seeks to amend.

ARISTOTLE

On the Generation of Animals

Tags: nature


The greater the length, the more beautiful will the piece be by reason of its size, provided that the whole be perspicuous.

ARISTOTLE

Poetics