Aristotle Quotes

One swallow does not make a summer,
neither does one fine day;
similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy.

To write well, express yourself like the common people, but think like a wise man.

The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.

For he who lives as passion directs will not hear argument that dissuades him, nor understand it if he does; and how can we persuade one in such a state to change his ways?

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

To amuse oneself in order that one may exert oneself, as Anacharsis puts it, seems right; for amusement is a sort of relaxation, and we need relaxation because we cannot work continuously.

Wit is educated insolence.

The secret to humor is surprise.

To perceive is to suffer.

For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.

Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives - choice, not chance, determines your destiny.

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.

All Earthquakes and Disasters are warnings; there’s too much corruption in the world

It is absurd to hold that a man should be ashamed of an inability to defend himself with his limbs, but not ashamed of an inability to defend himself with speech and reason; for the use of rational speech is more distinctive of a human being than the use of his limbs.

With the truth, all given facts harmonize; but with what is false, the truth soon hits a wrong note.

The ideal man bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of circumstances."
- Aristotle

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.

I have gained this by philosophy … I do without being ordered what some are constrained to do by their fear of the law.

I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who overcomes his enemies.