Let silence be your general rule; or say only what is necessary and in few words. We shall, however, when occasion demands, enter into discourse sparingly, avoiding such common topics as gladiators, horse-races, athletes; and the perpetual talk about food and drink. Above all avoid speaking of persons, either in the way of praise or blame, or comparison. If you can, win over the conversation of your company to what it should be by your own. But if you should find yourself cut off without escape among strangers and aliens, be silent. (164)

Piety towards the Gods, be sure, consists chiefly in thinking rightly concerning them-that they are, and that they govern the Universe with goodness and justic…

Refuse altogether to take an oath if you can, if not, as far as may be. (166)

Keep death and exile daily before thine eyes, with all else that men deem terrible, but more especially Death. Then wilt thou never think a mean thought, nor c…

Speech is human, silence is divine, yet also brutish and dead: therefore we must learn both arts.

Although there exist many thousand subjects for elegant conversation, there are persons who cannot meet a cripple without talking about feet.

It is always observable that silence propagates itself, and that the longer talk has been suspended, the more difficult it is to find any thing to say.