“Alexander said, "I assure you I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and dominion."”

“I myself had rather excel others in excellency of learning than in greatness of power.”

“More excellent than the austere, more excellent even than men of knowledge is the Ascetic deemed; more excellent than workers is the Ascetic; therefore be thou Ascetic, Arjuna.”

“I never excelled at one sport or had a very strong passion for anything other than wrestling and bodybuilding.”

“I assure you I had rather be the first man here than the second man in Rome.”

“Excellent!" I cried. "Elementary," said he.”

“As I have said, you have no reason to trust me, and an excellent reason not to.”

“I have, in every respect, since I had my appointment, strove to accommodate the business of the department to the plan of jour Excellency's operations. And I can say, with great truth, that ever since I had the honor to serve under you, I have been more attentive to the public interest, and more engaged in the support of your Excellency's character, than ever I was to my own ease, interest, or reputation.”

“I wanted to change the rules of engagement, asking for more— from fewer. I was insisting that we had to have only the best people…If you wanted excellence, at a minimum, the ambience had to reflect excellence.”

“The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its
value.”