Quotes by Roman Authors | Beyond Motive

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Quotes by Roman Authors

"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."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

99

"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

78

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

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

76

"Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it."

"Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it."

Horace, Roman Poet

Genius, Adversity, Prosperity

74

"The sinews of war are infinite money."

"The sinews of war are infinite money."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Money, War, Infinite

74

"He who has great power should use it lightly."

"He who has great power should use it lightly."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

73

"A gift consists not in what is done or given, but in the intention of the giver or doer."

"A gift consists not in what is done or given, but in the intention of the giver or doer."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Generosity, Intention

69

"Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body."

"Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Body, Difficulties, Labor, Mind

68

"An angry father is most cruel towards himself."

"An angry father is most cruel towards himself."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Planning, Father

66

"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

66

"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

66

"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

64

"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

63

"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

62

"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

62

"Each day provides its own gifts."

"Each day provides its own gifts."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Gratitude, Day, Gifts

61

"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

59

"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

57

"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

57

"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

56

"Virtue herself is her own fairest reward."

"Virtue herself is her own fairest reward."

Silius Italicus, Roman Poet

56

"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

55

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

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

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

55

"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."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Being, Poor, Will

52

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

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

52

"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

52

"A fault is fostered by concealment."

"A fault is fostered by concealment."

Virgil, Roman Poet

52

"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

51

"They succeed, because they think they can."

"They succeed, because they think they can."

Virgil, Roman Poet

Motivational, Succeed

50

"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

49

"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

49

"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

49

"Nothing is more powerful than custom or habit."

"Nothing is more powerful than custom or habit."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Habit, Custom, Nothing

47

"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

46

"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

45

"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

44

"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

43

"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

42

"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

42

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

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

Ovid, Roman Poet

41

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

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

41

"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."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

40

"A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions."

"A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

39

"The nature of rumor is known to all."

"The nature of rumor is known to all."

Tertullian, Roman Author

39

"I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble."

"I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble."

Augustus, Roman Royalty

38

"Even after a bad harvest there must be sowing."

"Even after a bad harvest there must be sowing."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Effort, Harvest

38

"Oppression is more easily endured than insult."

"Oppression is more easily endured than insult."

Junius, Roman Satirist

Insult, Oppression

37

"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

37

"The purpose of all war is peace."

"The purpose of all war is peace."

Saint Aurelius Augustine, Roman Theologian

Peace, War, Purpose

36

"Young men, hear an old man to whom old men hearkened when he was young."

"Young men, hear an old man to whom old men hearkened when he was young."

Augustus, Roman Royalty

36

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