Are there any books where Aristotlean quotations are collected?

Question

Are there any books where Aristotle's quotations are available?

Answer 1

Welcome, jasmine

I don't know of any collection of quotations from Aristotle, which doesn't mean there isn't such a collection. There are lexicons in which key Aristotelian terms and concepts are listed and explained: for example,

https://files.meetup.com/1715539/A%20Basic%20Aristotle%20Glossary.pdf

I don't think a collection of quotations is what you need, however. One doesn't get to know a philosopher through quotations, which usually have no or little context. It's much better to do either or both of two thngs:

1. Start to read an Aristotelian text. In my teaching career I have had to read all Aristotle's major works but the first book I read was his Rhetoric, which is relatively easy to get into. From there you could work out into other texts such as his Politics and Nicomachean Ethics.

2. You could read one of the many excellent introductions to Aristotle. I'd recommend:

Jonathan Barnes' Aristotle: A Very Short Introduction, ISBN 10: 0192854089 / ISBN 13: 9780192854087, published by Oxford University Press, United Kingdom, 2001

or

R. McKeon, ed., Introduction to Aristotle, ISBN 10: 0075536528 / ISBN 13: 9780075536529, published by McGraw-Hill Education.

It's very likely that in tackling the Nicomachean Ethics some such introduction is useful or even essential. This is not a particularly technical text but on the surface it's a flat read and there are points - interesting and important points - you'll probably miss without a guide to draw them out.

The world of Aristotle is rich, fascinating and complex. Do step into it - but I suggest you leave quotations behind.