Quotes by Roman Authors | Beyond Motive

top of page

Quotes by Roman Authors

"A handful of men, inured to war, proceed to certain victory, while on the contrary, numerous armies of raw and undisciplined troops are but multitudes of men dragged to the slaughter."

"A handful of men, inured to war, proceed to certain victory, while on the contrary, numerous armies of raw and undisciplined troops are but multitudes of men dragged to the slaughter."

Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, Roman Writer

Man, Men, War, Victory, Troops

173

"Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it."

"Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it."

Horace, Roman Poet

Genius, Adversity, Prosperity

164

"He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it."

"He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Crime, Statesman, Lucius Annaeus Seneca

162

"A man who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary."

"A man who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Man, Statesman, Lucius Annaeus Seneca

161

"An angry father is most cruel towards himself."

"An angry father is most cruel towards himself."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Planning, Father

148

"Lawyers are men who hire out their words and anger."

"Lawyers are men who hire out their words and anger."

Horace, Roman Poet

Anger, Men, Lawyers, Words

145

"Love begets love, love knows no rules, this is same for all."

"Love begets love, love knows no rules, this is same for all."

Virgil, Roman Poet

141

"Virtue herself is her own fairest reward."

"Virtue herself is her own fairest reward."

Silius Italicus, Roman Poet

141

"If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains; if you pursue evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains."

"If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains; if you pursue evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Evil, Labor, Pleasure

140

"I am human and let nothing human be alien to me."

"I am human and let nothing human be alien to me."

Terence, Roman Writer

137

"The sinews of war are infinite money."

"The sinews of war are infinite money."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Money, War, Infinite

136

"A fault is fostered by concealment."

"A fault is fostered by concealment."

Virgil, Roman Poet

133

"One is not exposed to danger who, even when in safety is always on their guard."

"One is not exposed to danger who, even when in safety is always on their guard."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Wisdom, Danger, Safety

129

"Execute every act of thy life as though it were thy last."

"Execute every act of thy life as though it were thy last."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

124

"Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years."

"Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years."

Ausonius, Roman Poet

Happiness, Age, Time, Old

122

"Grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened, but we fear all that possibly may happen."

"Grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened, but we fear all that possibly may happen."

Pliny the Elder, Roman Author

Fear, Grief, Limits, May

122

"A man is sorry to be honest for nothing."

"A man is sorry to be honest for nothing."

Ovid, Roman Poet

119

"He has committed the crime who profits by it."

"He has committed the crime who profits by it."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Crime, Statesman, Lucius Annaeus Seneca

119

"Nothing is more powerful than custom or habit."

"Nothing is more powerful than custom or habit."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Habit, Custom, Nothing

118

"There is a noble manner of being poor, and who does not know it will never be rich."

"There is a noble manner of being poor, and who does not know it will never be rich."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Being, Poor, Will

117

"Each day provides its own gifts."

"Each day provides its own gifts."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Gratitude, Day, Gifts

116

"A heart well prepared for adversity in bad times hopes, and in good times fears for a change in fortune."

"A heart well prepared for adversity in bad times hopes, and in good times fears for a change in fortune."

Horace, Roman Poet

Change, Heart, Adversity, Fortune

116

"In so far as the mind is stronger than the body, so are the ills contracted by the mind more severe than those contracted by the body."

"In so far as the mind is stronger than the body, so are the ills contracted by the mind more severe than those contracted by the body."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

115

"It's a good thing to be foolishly gay once in a while."

"It's a good thing to be foolishly gay once in a while."

Horace, Roman Poet

113

"It is when I struggle to be brief that I become obscure."

"It is when I struggle to be brief that I become obscure."

Horace, Roman Poet

Integration, Struggle

113

"You may drive out nature with a pitchfork, yet she'll be constantly running back."

"You may drive out nature with a pitchfork, yet she'll be constantly running back."

Horace, Roman Poet

Nature, May, Running

112

"They succeed, because they think they can."

"They succeed, because they think they can."

Virgil, Roman Poet

Motivational, Succeed

112

"I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse."

"I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse."

Charles V, Roman Royalty

God, Men, Women

111

"Oppression is more easily endured than insult."

"Oppression is more easily endured than insult."

Junius, Roman Satirist

Insult, Oppression

108

"From the heart of the fountain of delight rises a jet of bitterness that tortures us among the very flowers."

"From the heart of the fountain of delight rises a jet of bitterness that tortures us among the very flowers."

Lucretius, Roman Poet

Heart, Bitterness, Delight, Flowers

107

"When thou art above measure angry, bethink thee how momentary is man's life."

"When thou art above measure angry, bethink thee how momentary is man's life."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Life, Art, Man, Measure

107

"In my opinion it is less shameful for a king to be overcome by force of arms than by bribery."

"In my opinion it is less shameful for a king to be overcome by force of arms than by bribery."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Politics, Bribery, Force, Opinion

107

"He is so rich, he has no room to shit."

"He is so rich, he has no room to shit."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Wealth, Power, Reality, Life

106

"An unjust peace is better than a just war."

"An unjust peace is better than a just war."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

98

"To feel our ills is one thing, but to cure them is another."

"To feel our ills is one thing, but to cure them is another."

Ovid, Roman Poet

97

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

97

"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe."

"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Harmony, Universe

97

"A person's fears are lighter when the danger is at hand."

"A person's fears are lighter when the danger is at hand."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Danger, Statesman, Lucius Annaeus Seneca

94

"For in all adversity of fortune the worst sort of misery is to have been happy."

"For in all adversity of fortune the worst sort of misery is to have been happy."

Boethius, Roman Philosopher

Adversity, Fortune, Misery

93

"The nature of rumor is known to all."

"The nature of rumor is known to all."

Tertullian, Roman Author

92

"Mountains will go into labour, and a silly little mouse will be born."

"Mountains will go into labour, and a silly little mouse will be born."

Horace, Roman Poet

Mystery, Mountains, Mouse, Silly, Will

92

"Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things."

"Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

90

"All enterprises that are entered into with indiscreet zeal may be pursued with great vigor at first, but are sure to collapse in the end."

"All enterprises that are entered into with indiscreet zeal may be pursued with great vigor at first, but are sure to collapse in the end."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Zeal, End, First, May

90

"The purpose of all war is peace."

"The purpose of all war is peace."

Saint Augustine, Algerian Saint

Peace, War, Purpose, Saint Aurelius Augustine

87

"No one can give you better advice than yourself."

"No one can give you better advice than yourself."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

86

"Every man is the architect of his own fortune."

"Every man is the architect of his own fortune."

Sallust, Roman Historian

82

"Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it."

"Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Anger, Injury, Statesman

82

"The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing."

"The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Art, Dancing, Living, Wrestling

79

"What is food to one man is bitter poison to others."

"What is food to one man is bitter poison to others."

Lucretius, Roman Poet

Food, Man, Poison

79

"Love is a thing that is full of cares and fears."

"Love is a thing that is full of cares and fears."

Ovid, Roman Poet

78

bottom of page