You can be literal and say what you mean. Or, you can be figurative and mean what you say. “You can’t fight city hall,” means the government always wins. Aphorisms afford writers a wonderful opportunity to mean what they say and say what they mean. These expressions go on to become hallmarks of wisdom.

Since the world loves a good saying, it’s worth exploring other types of quotes and phrases that are closely linked to aphorisms. Start with these examples of proverbs. Proverbs are interesting because they dole out advice, but in an obscure way. Then, we have adages. Adages are common sayings that, over time, go on to become accepted as truth. These examples of adage in literature help paint their picture.