Quotes by Roman Authors | Beyond Motive 2/38

top of page

Quotes by Roman Authors

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

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

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

46

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

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

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

46

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

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

Sallust, Roman Historian

46

"Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words."

"Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words."

Plautus, Roman Playwright

45

"Right is right even if no one is doing it, wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it."

"Right is right even if no one is doing it, wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it."

Saint Augustine, Algerian Saint

Philosophy, Morality, Justice, Ethics, Observation

45

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

"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

44

"The nature of rumor is known to all."

"The nature of rumor is known to all."

Tertullian, Roman Author

44

"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

43

"Think like a man of action, and act like a man of thought."

"Think like a man of action, and act like a man of thought."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Thought, Action, Man

41

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

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

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

41

"Shame may restrain what law does not prohibit."

"Shame may restrain what law does not prohibit."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Law, May, Shame

40

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

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

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Life, Acting, Excellence

39

"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

39

"Let us train our minds to desire what the situation demands."

"Let us train our minds to desire what the situation demands."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Desire, Statesman, Lucius Annaeus Seneca

35

"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."

"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

33

"He plants trees to benefit another generation."

"He plants trees to benefit another generation."

Caecilius Statius, Roman Poet

Environment, Plants, Trees

33

"We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another."

"We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another."

Lucretius, Roman Poet

33

"The enemy is within the gates; it is with our own luxury, our own folly, our own criminality that we have to contend."

"The enemy is within the gates; it is with our own luxury, our own folly, our own criminality that we have to contend."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Enemy, Folly, Luxury

33

"If a man's fortune does not fit him, it is like the shoe in the story; if too large it trips him up, if too small it pinches him."

"If a man's fortune does not fit him, it is like the shoe in the story; if too large it trips him up, if too small it pinches him."

Horace, Roman Poet

33

"Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today."

"Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Expectation, Anticipation, Living, Today, Tomorrow

33

"Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason."

"Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Reason, Treason

33

"I often regret that I have spoken; never that I have been silent."

"I often regret that I have spoken; never that I have been silent."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Silence, Regret

32

"Time, the devourer of all things."

"Time, the devourer of all things."

Ovid, Roman Poet

32

"Nothing is more wretched than the mind of a man conscious of guilt."

"Nothing is more wretched than the mind of a man conscious of guilt."

Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman Poet

Guilt, Man, Mind, Nothing

32

"Poverty wants some, luxury many, and avarice all things."

"Poverty wants some, luxury many, and avarice all things."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Poverty, Luxury, Statesman

31

"The nobler a man, the harder it is for him to suspect inferiority in others."

"The nobler a man, the harder it is for him to suspect inferiority in others."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Nobility, Inferiority, Man

31

"The more laws, the less justice."

"The more laws, the less justice."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

31

"The depth of darkness to which you can descend and still live is an exact measure of the height to which you can aspire to reach."

"The depth of darkness to which you can descend and still live is an exact measure of the height to which you can aspire to reach."

Pliny the Elder, Roman Author

Darkness, Measure

31

"Where there is unity there is always victory."

"Where there is unity there is always victory."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

31

"The greatest pleasures are only narrowly separated from disgust."

"The greatest pleasures are only narrowly separated from disgust."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Pleasure, Disgust

30

"Brevity is a great charm of eloquence."

"Brevity is a great charm of eloquence."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Brevity, Charm, Eloquence

30

"Poverty is the mother of crime."

"Poverty is the mother of crime."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Family, Mother, Crime, Poverty

30

"Their silence is praise enough."

"Their silence is praise enough."

Terence, Roman Writer

Praise, Silence

30

"It is the duty of a good shepherd to shear his sheep, not to skin them."

"It is the duty of a good shepherd to shear his sheep, not to skin them."

Tiberius, Roman Statesman

Duty, Sheep, Skin

29

"The only certainty is that nothing is certain."

"The only certainty is that nothing is certain."

Pliny The Elder, Roman Author

Certainty, Nothing

29

"Fear is the foundation of safety."

"Fear is the foundation of safety."

Tertullian, Roman Author

29

"Confine yourself to the present."

"Confine yourself to the present."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

29

"I prefer tongue-tied knowledge to ignorant loquacity."

"I prefer tongue-tied knowledge to ignorant loquacity."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Knowledge, Loquacity, Tongue

29

"Habits change into character."

"Habits change into character."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Change, Character, Habits

29

"The burden which is well borne becomes light."

"The burden which is well borne becomes light."

Ovid, Roman Poet

28

"It is better to create than to learn! Creating is the essence of life."

"It is better to create than to learn! Creating is the essence of life."

Julius Caesar, Roman Leader

Creativity, Life

28

"Liberty consists in the power of doing that which is permitted by the law."

"Liberty consists in the power of doing that which is permitted by the law."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Power, Law, Liberty

28

"Everyone's a millionaire where promises are concerned."

"Everyone's a millionaire where promises are concerned."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Promise, Promises

28

"The gods behold all righteous actions."

"The gods behold all righteous actions."

Ovid, Roman Poet

God, Gods, Actions

27

"Rather leave the crime of the guilty unpunished than condemn the innocent."

"Rather leave the crime of the guilty unpunished than condemn the innocent."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

27

"Acquaintance lessens fame."

"Acquaintance lessens fame."

Claudius, Roman Leader

Acquaintance, Fame

27

"Venus favors the bold."

"Venus favors the bold."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Astrology, Favors

27

"To endeavor to domineer over conscience, is to invade the citadel of heaven."

"To endeavor to domineer over conscience, is to invade the citadel of heaven."

Charles V, Roman Royalty

Conscience, Heaven

26

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

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

Pliny the Elder, Roman Author

26

"Time flies never to be recalled."

"Time flies never to be recalled."

Virgil, Roman Poet

26

bottom of page