Men are rewarded or punished not for what they do but for how their acts are defined. That is why read more

Men are rewarded or punished not for what they do but for how their acts are defined. That is why men are more interested in better justifying themselves than in better behaving themselves.

Punishment is justice for the unjust.

Punishment is justice for the unjust.

Men simply copied the realities of their hearts when they built prisons

Men simply copied the realities of their hearts when they built prisons

Not the punishment but the cause makes the martyr.

Not the punishment but the cause makes the martyr.

He is next to the gods whom reason, and not passion, impels; and
who, after weighing the facts, can read more

He is next to the gods whom reason, and not passion, impels; and
who, after weighing the facts, can measure the punishment with
discretion.
[Lat., Diis proximus ille est
Quem ratio non ira movet: qui factor rependens
Consilio punire potest.]

Punishment is not for revenge, but to lessen crime and reform the
criminal.

Punishment is not for revenge, but to lessen crime and reform the
criminal.

Punishment follows close on crime.
[Lat., Culpam poena premit comes.]

Punishment follows close on crime.
[Lat., Culpam poena premit comes.]

Many a man spanks his children for the things his own father should have spanked out of him.

Many a man spanks his children for the things his own father should have spanked out of him.

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee
to enter into life maimed, read more

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee
to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell,
into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.