The Quotes canon
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Browse all 10,075 quotes or apply filters in different categories to narrow your search.
Classical antiquity8 quotes
What I say is that "just" or "right" means nothing but what is to the interest of the stronger party. — Thrasymachus · 375 BCWhoever destroys a single life is as guilty as though he had destroyed the entire world; and whoever rescues a single life earns as much merit as though he had rescued the entire world. — The Talmud · 200It is circumstance and proper timing that give an action its character and make it either good or bad. — Plutarch · 119We give to necessity the praise of virtue. — Quintilian · 95No one ever suddenly became depraved. — Juvenal · 127Necessity knows no law except to prevail. — Publilius Syrus · 43 BCAll 8 quotes →Age of Enlightenment4 quotes
Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent. — Adam Smith · 1759Our sympathy is cold to the relation of distant misery. — Edward Gibbon · 1781Whenever the offence inspires less horror than the punishment, the rigour of penal law is obliged to give way to the common feelings of mankind. — Edward Gibbon · 1776There is but one law for all, namely, that law which governs all law, the law of our Creator, the law of humanity, justice, equity, — the Law of Nature and of Nations. — Edmund Burke · 1794Byzantine Period1 quote
Justice is the constant and perpetual wish to render to every one his due. — Justinian I · 533Early Christianity1 quote
The Lord says in the gospel; "I am the Truth." He does not say "I am custom." Therefore, when the truth is made manifest, custom must give way to truth. — Libosus of Vaga · 400The Renaissance1 quote
There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. — William Shakespeare · 1616