The finished shape of our fate, the line drawn round it. It is the task the gods allot us, and the share of glory they allow; the limits we must not … - Mary Renault

Oh, yes. I thought the god had more left for me to do; but one must be ready.” He touched my hand; his thanks had been wordless, but none the worse for that. “One must live as if it would be forever, and as if one might die each moment. Always both at once.” I answered, “That is the life of the gods, who only seem to die, like the sun at his setting. But do not ride too fast across the sky, and leave us all in darkness.” “One thing,” he said, “I’ve taken to heart from this. The water in the plains is poison. Do as I mean to do, and stick to wine.

Then an unjust democracy must be worse than an unjust oligarchy, mustn’t it?

Fui felice di sfoggiare quel poco che sapevo; e poiché mi sentivo già a mio agio con lui, gli domandai perché mai un vecchio volesse frequentare la scuola. Non si risentì; rispose che per un vecchio non imparare ciò che avrebbe potuto renderlo migliore era assai più disonorevole che per i ragazzi, dato che aveva avuto tutto il tempo di comprenderne l’importanza”.