Aristotle

Nature would like to distinguish between the bodies of freemen and slaves, making the one strong for servile labor, the other upright, and although useless for such services, useful for political life in the arts both of war and peace.

The state is by nature clearly prior to the family and to the individual, since the whole is of necessity prior to the part.

A young man is not a proper hearer of lectures on moral philosophy, for he is inexperienced in the actions that occur in life, and since he tends to follow his passions, his study will be vain and unprofitable.

A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side.

Men are swayed more by fear than by reverence.

No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness.

The art of war is natural.

The lower animals cannot even apprehend a principle; they obey their instincts. And indeed the use made of slaves and of tame animals is not very different; for both with their bodies minister to the needs of life.

Those who are in a position which places them above toil have stewards who attend to their households while they occupy themselves with philosophy or with politics.

It is unbecoming for young men to utter maxims.

The male is more divine than the female.

A state exists for the sake of a good life, and not for the sake of life only.

He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.

Man is by nature a political animal.

All men by nature desire knowledge.

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

Every action has its pleasures and its price.

To love someone is to identify with them.

He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god.

Man perfected by society is the best of all animals; he is the most terrible of all when he lives without law, and without justice.