87 Timeless Quotes by Aristotle

By Maxime Lagacé

Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page.

Best Quotes – Happiness – Logic – Ethics – Politics – Nature – Education – Friendship – Sources – Takeaways

I’ve collected 87 timeless Aristotle quotes.

And you’ll not be disappointed.

I discovered this fascinating and profound philosopher back in 2004.

Aristotle was featured in a book called “La Petite Gallerie de Grands Esprits” (Small Gallery of Great Minds), with other legendary characters like Marcus Aurelius, Lao Tzu, and Buddha.

It was my first quotations book.

And I was hooked.

What did I learn from Aristotle?

The importance of virtue, courage, justice, honesty
The importance of observation and experimentation
The importance of knowing yourself and mastery

But who was Aristotle exactly?

He was a Greek philosopher and author (384–322 BC)
He was considered, with Socrates and Plato, the Father of Western Philosophy
He contributed to fields such as philosophy, logic, rhetoric, politics, ethics, biology, and physics
His writings influenced scientists and philosophers like Galilei, Newton, Darwin, Kant, and Nietzsche
He’s one of the most influential and famous philosophers of all time

So, are you ready to transform yourself with these amazing Aristotle quotes?

Let’s begin!

The Best Aristotle Quotes

aristotle quotes knowing yourself beginning wisdom

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. Aristotle

Courage is the first of human virtues because it makes all others possible. Aristotle

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. Aristotle

To know yourself, you must spend time with yourself, you must not be afraid to be alone. Aristotle

The habits we form from childhood make no small difference, but rather they make all the difference. Aristotle

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. Aristotle

I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self. Aristotle

No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness. Aristotle

The only way to achieve true success is to express yourself completely in service to society. Aristotle

Through discipline comes freedom. Aristotle

Well begun is half done. Aristotle

Aristotle Quotes On Happiness, Unhappiness

Happiness is self-connectedness. Aristotle

The gods too are fond of a joke. Aristotle

The aim of the wise is not to secure pleasure, but to avoid pain. Aristotle

The most important relationship we can all have is the one you have with yourself, the most important journey you can take is one of self-discovery. Aristotle

One swallow does not make a summer, neither does one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy. Aristotle

Happiness depends upon ourselves. Aristotle

The man of perfected self-mastery avoids pleasures. Aristotle

Happiness is a quality of the soul…not a function of one’s material circumstances. Aristotle

By Human Excellence we mean not that of man’s body but that of his soul; for we call Happiness a working of the Soul. Aristotle

Why then should we not call happy the man who works in the way of perfect virtue. Aristotle

Life is only meaningful when we are striving for a goal. Aristotle

He who has overcome his fears will truly be free. Aristotle

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. Aristotle

The secret to humor is surprise. Aristotle

Happiness has no lack of anything but is self-sufficient. Aristotle

Hope is a waking dream. Aristotle

Related

Aristotle Quotes On Logic and Reasoning

The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think. Aristotle

The more you know, the more you know you don’t know. Aristotle

Be a free thinker and don’t accept everything you hear as truth. Be critical and evaluate what you believe in. Aristotle

In the arena of human life the honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action. Aristotle

One may go wrong in many different ways, but right only in one; and so the former is easy, the latter difficult; easy to miss the mark, but hard to hit it. Aristotle

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle

To write well, express yourself like the common people, but think like a wise man. Aristotle

Man first begins to philosophize when the necessities of life are supplied. Aristotle

Knowledge of the fact differs from knowledge of the reason for the fact. Aristotle

Life cannot be lived, and understood, simultaneously. Aristotle

Character is determined by choice, not opinion. Aristotle

Aristotle Quotes On Ethics and Morality

The ideal man bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of circumstances. Aristotle

Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime. Aristotle

It is our choice of good or evil that determines our character, not our opinion about good or evil. Aristotle

We become just by performing just action, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave action. Aristotle

He that tastes of every pleasure and abstains from none comes to lose all self-control. Aristotle

Greatness of spirit is accompanied by simplicity and sincerity. Aristotle

We have dispositions towards justice, self-mastery and courage, for instance, immediately from our birth. Aristotle

Now the mass of mankind are plainly… choosing a life like that of brute animals. Aristotle

Piety requires us to honor truth above our friends. Aristotle

Aristotle Quotes On Politics and Government

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

It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace. Aristotle

There are three lines of life which stand out prominently to view: the life of pleasure, the political life, and the life of reflection. Aristotle

Tyrants preserve themselves by sowing fear and mistrust among the citizens by means of spies, by distracting them with foreign wars, by eliminating men of spirit who might lead a revolution, by humbling the people, and making them incapable of decisive action. Aristotle

The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law. Aristotle

Aristotle Quotes On Nature

To appreciate the beauty of a snow flake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold. Aristotle

Nature does nothing in vain. Aristotle

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Aristotle

The energy of the mind is the essence of life. Aristotle

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. Aristotle

We should venture on the study of every kind of animal without distaste; for each and all will reveal to us something natural and something beautiful. Aristotle

All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. Aristotle

Nature is a principle of motion and mutation. Aristotle

Aristotle Quotes On Education and Personal Development

Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. Aristotle

The purpose of knowledge is action, not knowledge. Aristotle

The one exclusive sign of thorough knowledge is the power of teaching. Aristotle

The true end of tragedy is to purify the passions. Aristotle

All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind. Aristotle

The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. Aristotle

He is perfected in Self-Mastery who not only abstains from the bodily pleasures but is glad to do so. Aristotle

Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man. Aristotle

Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. Aristotle

Poetry is finer and more philosophical than history; for poetry expresses the universal, and history only the particular. Aristotle

The senses are gateways to the intelligence. There is nothing in the intelligence which did not first pass through the senses. Aristotle

Emotions of any kind can be evoked by melody and rhythm; therefore music has the power to form character. Aristotle

The intelligence consists not only in the knowledge but also in the skill to apply the knowledge into practice. Aristotle

Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny. Aristotle

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well. Aristotle

Our problem is not that we aim too high and miss, but that we aim too low and hit. Aristotle

Learning is not child’s play; we cannot learn without pain. Aristotle

Aristotle Quotes On Friendship

Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. Aristotle

A friend to all is a friend to none. Aristotle

The best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake. Aristotle

[Friends] thought to be the greatest of external goods. Aristotle

All friendly feelings toward others come from the friendly feelings a person has for himself. Aristotle

Friends hold a mirror up to each other; through that mirror they can see each other in ways that would not otherwise be accessible to them, and it is this mirroring that helps them improve themselves as persons. Aristotle

Men come together in cities in order to live: they remain together in order to live the good life. Aristotle

Misfortune shows those who are not really friends. Aristotle

Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit. Aristotle

The antidote for fifty enemies is one friend.

What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good. Aristotle

Key Takeaways From Aristotle’s Quotes

Do you want to know how to apply Aristotle’s quotes to your life?

Here are the top 5 takeaways from Aristotle’s quotes.

Self-reflect, daily: Aristotle believed in the importance of self-reflection and self-understanding (like his predecessors Plato and Socrates). Without self-knowledge and without knowing what you stand for, it’s hard to live a fulfilling life. Meditate, think, and journal each day.
Observe and experiment: For Aristotle, observations and experimentations were vital to learning. Knowledge, without applying it, is useless. So don’t be scared to try new things, fail, and try again. It’s the fastest way to master new skills.
Live with virtue: For ancient Greeks like Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Thucydides, and Xenophon, living with virtue was key to living a happy life. Practice courage, respect for others, temperance, and fairness.
Surround yourself with good people: Aristotle believed that friendship was important for our happiness. So cut toxic people out of your life. Create more time for the good ones.
Improve your self: Aristotle believed in setting goals and improving ourselves. Without them, it’s hard to feel fulfilled. So spend time each day learning new things, exploring, and reading. Set one important goal for yourself. Do whatever it takes to accomplish it. Aim for self-mastery.

Sources For Aristotle’s Writings And Books

The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle, (free online version), Aristotle writes about happiness, virtue, and self-mastery
Metaphysics (free online version), Aristotle writes about reality and the nature of the universe
Politics: A Treatise on Government (free online version), Aristotle writes about the government and society
The Poetics of Aristotle (free online version), Aristotle writes about the principles of art and literature
Aristotle on the art of poetry (free online version), Aristotle writes about poetry, rhetoric, and literary criticism
On the Soul (free online version), Aristotle writes about how our mind works and what is our soul

87 Timeless Quotes by Aristotle

The Best Aristotle Quotes

Aristotle Quotes On Happiness, Unhappiness

Aristotle Quotes On Logic and Reasoning

Aristotle Quotes On Ethics and Morality

Aristotle Quotes On Politics and Government

Aristotle Quotes On Nature

Aristotle Quotes On Education and Personal Development

Aristotle Quotes On Friendship

Key Takeaways From Aristotle’s Quotes

Sources For Aristotle’s Writings And Books

Further Readings

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