Can you really ask what reason Pythagoras had for abstaining from flesh? For my part I rather wonder both by what accident and in what state of soul or mind the first man did so, touched his mouth to gore and brought his lips to the flesh of a dead creature, he who set forth tables of dead, stale bodies and ventured to call food and nourishment the parts that had a little before bellowed and cried, moved and lived. How could his eyes endure the slaughter when throats were slit and hides flayed and limbs torn from limb? How could his nose endure the stench? How was it that the pollution did not turn away his taste, which made contact with the sores of others and sucked juices and serums from mortal wounds?
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A Roman divorced from his wife, being highly blamed by his friends, who demanded, Was she not chaste? Was she not fair? Was she not fruitful? holding out his shoe, asked them whether it was not new and well made. Yet, added he, none of you can tell where it pinches me.
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The reason of this separation has not come to our knowledge; but there seems to be a truth conveyed in the account of another Roman's being divorced from his wife, which may be applicable here. This person being highly blamed by his friends, who demanded, Was she not chaste? was she not fair? was she not fruitful? holding out his shoe, asked them, Whether it was not new? and well made? Yet, added he, none of you can tell where it pinches me.
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It is certainly not lions and wolves that we eat out of self-defense; on the contrary, we ignore these and slaughter harmless, tame creatures without stings or teeth to harm us, creatures that, I swear, Nature appears to have produced for the sake of their beauty and grace. But nothing abashed us, not the flower-like tinting of the flesh, not the persuasiveness of the harmonious voice, not the cleanliness of their habits or the unusual intelligence that may be found in the poor wretches. No, for the sake of a little flesh we deprive them of sun, of light, of the duration of life to which they are entitled by birth and being.
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The obligations of law and equity reach only to mankind, but kindness and benevolence should be extended to the creatures of every species, and these will flow from the breast of a true man, in streams that issue from the living fountain. Man makes use of flesh not out of want and necessity, seeing that he has the liberty to make his choice of herbs and fruits, the plenty of which is inexhaustible; but out of luxury, and being cloyed with necessaries, he seeks after impure and inconvenient diet, purchased by the slaughter of living beasts; by showing himself more cruel than the most savage of wild beasts ... were it only to learn benevolence to human kind, we should be merciful to other creatures.
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For a long time then, I reflected on this confusion in the astronomical traditions concerning the derivation of the motions of the universe's spheres. I began to be annoyed that the movements of the world machine, created for our sake by the best and most systematic Artisan of all, were not understood with greater certainty by the philosophers, who otherwise examined so precisely the most insignificant trifles of this world. For this reason I undertook the task of rereading the works of all the philosophers which I could obtain to learn whether anyone had ever proposed other motions of the universe's spheres than those expounded by the teachers of astronomy in the schools. And in fact I found in Cicero that Hicetas supposed the earth to move. Later I also discovered in Plutarch that certain others were of this opinion. . . . Therefore, having obtained the opportunity from these sources, I too began to consider the mobility of the earth.
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(Solon) being asked, namely, what city was best to live in, That city, he replied, in which those who are not wronged, no less than those who are wronged, exert themselves to punish the wrongdoers
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Why do you belie the earth, as if it were unable to feed and nourish you? Does it not shame you to mingle murder and blood with her beneficent fruits? Other carnivores you call savage and ferocious - lions and tigers and serpents - while yourselves come behind them in no species of barbarity. And yet for them murder is the only means of sustenance! Whereas to you it is superfluous luxury and crime!
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To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.
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Nothing is cheap which is superfluous, for what one does not need, is dear at a penny.
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We ought not to treat living creatures like shoes or household belongings, which when worn with use we throw away.
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Fate leads him who follows it, and drags him who resist.
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Let us carefully observe those good qualities wherein our enemies excel us and endeavor to excel them, by avoiding what is faulty, and imitating what is excellent in them.
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The giving of riches and honors to a wicked man is like giving strong wine to him that hath a fever.
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In words are seen the state of mind and character and disposition of the speaker.
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For to err in opinion, though it be not the part of wise men, is at least human.
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He who reflects on another man's want of breeding, shows he wants it as much himself
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Perseverance is more prevailing than violence and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little.
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Do not speak of your happiness to one less fortunate than yourself.
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The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.
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To be ignorant of the lives of the most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood all our days.
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Learn to be pleased with everything with wealth, so far as it makes us beneficial to others with poverty, for not having much to care for, and with obscurity, for being unenvied.
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It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.
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I would rather excel in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and possessions.
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It is certainly desirable to be well descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.
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An old doting fool, with one foot already in the grave.
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To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.
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Time is the wisest of all counselors.
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God is the brave man's hope, and not the coward's excuse
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The man who is completely wise and virtuous has no need of glory, except so far as it disposes and eases his way to action by the greater trust that it procures him.
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