Quotes by Roman Authors | Beyond Motive

"Each day provides its own gifts."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Gratitude, Day, Gifts

36

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Crime,

35

"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

27

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Power,

25

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Man,

25

"Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it."

Horace, Roman Poet

Genius, Adversity, Prosperity

24

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

Horace, Roman Poet

Anger, Men, Lawyers, Words

24

"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

23

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

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Art, Dancing, Living, Wrestling

20

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Body, Difficulties, Labor, Mind

20

"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

18

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Crime,

18

"Great effort is required to arrest decay and restore vigor. One must exercise proper deliberation, plan carefully before making a move, and be alert in guarding against relapse following a renaissance."

Horace, Roman Poet

Effort, Exercise

17

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

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Wisdom, Danger, Safety

17

"They succeed, because they think they can."

Virgil, Roman Poet

Motivational, Succeed

17

"Nothing is more powerful than custom or habit."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Habit, Custom, Nothing

17

"The sinews of war are infinite money."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Money, War, Infinite

17

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

Horace, Roman Poet

Integration, Struggle

17

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

Terence, Roman Writer

Nothing,

16

"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

16

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

Ovid, Roman Poet

Love,

16

"Envy like fire always makes for the highest points."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Envy, Fire

16

"A fault is fostered by concealment."

Virgil, Roman Poet

Mistake, Fault

16

"They envy the distinction I have won; let them therefore, envy my toils, my honesty, and the methods by which I gained it."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Honesty, Envy

15

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

Ovid, Roman Poet

Man, Nothing

15

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

Boethius, Roman Philosopher

Adversity, Fortune, Misery

15

"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

Body, Mind

15

"The nature of rumor is known to all."

Tertullian, Roman Author

Nature, Rumor

15

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

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Danger,

15

"Virtue herself is her own fairest reward."

Silius Italicus, Roman Poet

Virtue, Reward

15

"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

14

"Oppression is more easily endured than insult."

Junius, Roman Satirist

Insult, Oppression

14

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

Horace, Roman Poet

Nature, May, Running

14

"An angry father is most cruel towards himself."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Planning, Father

14

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

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Life, Act

14

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

Virgil, Roman Poet

Love, Rules

14

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

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Life, Art, Man, Measure

14

"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

14

"The purpose of all war is peace."

Saint Aurelius Augustine, Roman Theologian

Peace, War, Purpose

14

"He plants trees to benefit another generation."

Caecilius Statius, Roman Poet

Environment, Plants, Trees

14

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

Horace, Roman Poet

Mystery, Mountains, Mouse, Silly, Will

14

"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

14

"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

13

"It is generally much more shameful to lose a good reputation than never to have acquired it."

Pliny the Elder, Roman Author

Reputation,

13

"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

13

"Consult your friend on all things, especially on those which respect yourself. His counsel may then be useful where your own self-love might impair your judgment."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Friendship, Friend, Judgment, May, Respect

12

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

Ovid, Roman Poet

Cure,

12

"Their silence is praise enough."

Terence, Roman Writer

Praise, Silence

12

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

Horace, Roman Poet

Embracing, Gay

10

"Life's like a play: it's not the length, but the excellence of the acting that matters."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Life, Acting, Excellence