Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art ... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.'

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

To the Ancients, Friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves; the crown of life and the school of virtue. The modern world, in comparison, ignores it.

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” p.71

“Affection is taken as the image when God is represented as our Father; Eros, when Christ is represented as the Bridegroom of the Church.” p.78

“The little pockets of early Christians survived because they cared exclusively for the love of “the brethren” and stopped their ears to the opinion of the Pagan society all around them.” p.70

“Friendship is even, if you like, angelic. But man needs to be triply protected by humility if he is to eat the bread of angels without risk.” p.87

People who bore one another should meet seldom; people who interest one another, often.