Apollonius of Tyana Quotes

A man has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so.

The man of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys.

Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.

The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices.

The most virtuous are those who content themselves with being virtuous without seeking to appear so.

A man should be upright, not be kept upright.

I really wanted to be nasty and mean and bad. It's so much easier than being the good girl.

For I can raise no money by vile means.

True freedom is where an individual's thoughts and actions are in alignment with that which is true, correct, and of honor - no matter the personal price.

Principle is ever my motto, not expediency.

Moral character has now some influence in our elections, but not that place which it deserves. The law of public opinion excludes confirmed sots, and persons judicially convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors against the State; but it ought to render the election of all profane swearers, notorious Sabbath breakers, seducers, slanderers, prodigals and riotous persons, as well as the advocates of dueling, impracticable.

The more men value money the less they value virtue.

It is impossible to deny that dishonest men often grow rich and famous, becoming powerful in their parish or in parliament. Their portraits grace shop windows; and they live and die respected. This success is theirs; yet it is not the success which a noble soul will envy.

...it's so hard to find men of a so high type of morals that they'll stay bought.

Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.

Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.

Character is greater than talent, genius, fame, money, friends - there is nothing to compare with it. A man may have all these and yet remain comparatively useless - be unhappy - and die a bankrupt in soul.

There is no principle worth the name if it is not wholly good.

Every night I go over what I did in the day, in ethical or moral terms. Have I treated people properly? Did I tell the truth?

Prefer a loss to a dishonest gain; the one brings pain at the moment, the other for all time.

I shall produce nothing that will offend the proprieties, whether applied to children or grownups. My pictures are turned out with clean hands and, therefore, with a clear conscience which, like virtue, is its own reward.

Men of integrity, by their very existence, rekindle the belief that as a people we can live above the level of moral squalor. We need that belief; a cynical community is a corrupt community.

Be right, and then be easy to live with, if possible, but in that order.

Little hearts, little souls give little lusts big power. Big hearts give little lusts little power.

Character is much easier kept than recovered.