Quotes by Roman Authors | Beyond Motive 7/34

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Quotes by Roman Authors

"Men are nearly always willing to believe what they wish."

"Men are nearly always willing to believe what they wish."

Julius Caesar, Roman Leader

5

"It is your concern when your neighbor's wall is on fire."

"It is your concern when your neighbor's wall is on fire."

Horace, Roman Poet

5

"Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish."

"Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish."

Marcus Fabius Quintilian, Roman Philosopher

5

"Silence is one of the great arts of conversation."

"Silence is one of the great arts of conversation."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Conversation, Silence

5

"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

5

"Therefore let men withdraw themselves from errors; and laying aside corrupt superstitions, let them acknowledge their Father and Lord, whose excellence cannot be estimated, nor His greatness perceived, nor His beginning comprehended."

"Therefore let men withdraw themselves from errors; and laying aside corrupt superstitions, let them acknowledge their Father and Lord, whose excellence cannot be estimated, nor His greatness perceived, nor His beginning comprehended."

Lactantius, Roman Author

Man, Men, Father, Greatness, Beginning

5

"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

5

"The sharp thorn often produces delicate roses."

"The sharp thorn often produces delicate roses."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Contrast, Roses

5

"Shun no toil to make yourself remarkable by some talent or other; yet do not devote yourself to one branch exclusively. Strive to get clear notions about all. Give up no science entirely; for science is but one."

"Shun no toil to make yourself remarkable by some talent or other; yet do not devote yourself to one branch exclusively. Strive to get clear notions about all. Give up no science entirely; for science is but one."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

Science, Talent, Remarkable

5

"For they, the philosophers, were considered teachers of right living, which is far more excellent, since to speak well belongs only to a few, but to live well belongs to all."

"For they, the philosophers, were considered teachers of right living, which is far more excellent, since to speak well belongs only to a few, but to live well belongs to all."

Lactantius, Roman Author

Living, Right, Teachers

5

"The penalty may be removed, the crime is eternal."

"The penalty may be removed, the crime is eternal."

Ovid, Roman Poet

5

"Whoever cultivates the golden mean avoids both the poverty of a hovel and the envy of a palace."

"Whoever cultivates the golden mean avoids both the poverty of a hovel and the envy of a palace."

Horace, Roman Poet

5

"It never troubles the wolf how many the sheep may be."

"It never troubles the wolf how many the sheep may be."

Virgil, Roman Poet

Society, May, Sheep

5

"Deep-seated are the wounds of civil brawls."

"Deep-seated are the wounds of civil brawls."

Marcus Annaeus Lucan, Roman Poet

5

"Count not him among your friends who will retail your privacies to the world."

"Count not him among your friends who will retail your privacies to the world."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Friendship, Friends, Will, World

5

"Make haste! The tide of Fortune soon ebbs."

"Make haste! The tide of Fortune soon ebbs."

Silius Italicus, Roman Poet

5

"Treat your friend as if he might become an enemy."

"Treat your friend as if he might become an enemy."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Friendship, Friend, Enemy

5

"You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force."

"You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Kindness, Force

5

"Every sound alarms."

"Every sound alarms."

Virgil, Roman Poet

5

"Men freely believe that which they desire."

"Men freely believe that which they desire."

Julius Caesar, Roman Leader

Wisdom, Men, Desire

5

"Labor diligently to increase your property."

"Labor diligently to increase your property."

Horace, Roman Poet

Labor, Property

5

"Never promise more than you can perform."

"Never promise more than you can perform."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Integrity, Promise

5

"Audacity augments courage; hesitation, fear."

"Audacity augments courage; hesitation, fear."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Courage, Fear, Hesitation

5

"Name me an emperor who was ever struck by a cannonball."

"Name me an emperor who was ever struck by a cannonball."

Charles V, Roman Royalty

5

"Where fear is present, wisdom cannot be."

"Where fear is present, wisdom cannot be."

Lactantius, Roman Author

Wisdom, Fear, Present

5

"It is folly to punish your neighbor by fire when you live next door."

"It is folly to punish your neighbor by fire when you live next door."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Self-Awareness, Fire, Folly

4

"The fame that goes with wealth and beauty is fleeting and fragile; intellectual superiority is a possession glorious and eternal."

"The fame that goes with wealth and beauty is fleeting and fragile; intellectual superiority is a possession glorious and eternal."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Beauty, Superiority, Wealth, Fame

4

"The spirited horse, which will try to win the race of its own accord, will run even faster if encouraged."

"The spirited horse, which will try to win the race of its own accord, will run even faster if encouraged."

Ovid, Roman Poet

4

"Laws are subordinate to custom."

"Laws are subordinate to custom."

Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman Poet

Consequence, Custom, Laws

4

"Most fathers don't see the war within the daughter, her struggles with conflicting images of the idealized and flawed father, her temptation both to retreat to Daddy's lap and protection and to push out of his embrace to that of beau and the world beyond home."

"Most fathers don't see the war within the daughter, her struggles with conflicting images of the idealized and flawed father, her temptation both to retreat to Daddy's lap and protection and to push out of his embrace to that of beau and the world beyond home."

Victoria Secunda, Roman Psychologist

Home, War, Father, Daughter

4

"A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means."

"A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Defeat, Evil, Injustice, Man

4

"True glory takes root, and even spreads; all false pretences, like flowers, fall to the ground; nor can any counterfeit last long."

"True glory takes root, and even spreads; all false pretences, like flowers, fall to the ground; nor can any counterfeit last long."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

4

"The wounds of love can only be healed by the one who made them."

"The wounds of love can only be healed by the one who made them."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Moderation, Love, Wounds

4

"What harsh judges fathers are to all young men!"

"What harsh judges fathers are to all young men!"

Terence, Roman Writer

Family, Fathers, Judges

4

"Forgive many things in others; nothing in yourself."

"Forgive many things in others; nothing in yourself."

Ausonius, Roman Poet

4

"Not by age but by capacity is wisdom acquired."

"Not by age but by capacity is wisdom acquired."

Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman Poet

4

"Tell me who is able to keep his bed chaste, or which goddess is able to live with one god alone?"

"Tell me who is able to keep his bed chaste, or which goddess is able to live with one god alone?"

Sextus Propertius, Roman Poet

4

"No man pleases by silence; many I please by speaking briefly."

"No man pleases by silence; many I please by speaking briefly."

Ausonius, Roman Poet

4

"Do not despise the bottom rungs in the ascent to greatness."

"Do not despise the bottom rungs in the ascent to greatness."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Humility, Greatness

4

"The remedy for wrongs is to forget them."

"The remedy for wrongs is to forget them."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Forgiveness, Forget, Wrongs

4

"In comparing various authors with one another, I have discovered that some of the gravest and latest writers have transcribed, word for word, from former works, without making acknowledgment."

"In comparing various authors with one another, I have discovered that some of the gravest and latest writers have transcribed, word for word, from former works, without making acknowledgment."

Pliny the Elder, Roman Author

Authors, Word, Writers

4

"One crime has to be concealed by another."

"One crime has to be concealed by another."

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Statesman

4

"The only certainty is that nothing is certain."

"The only certainty is that nothing is certain."

Pliny The Elder, Roman Author

Certainty, Nothing

4

"To like and dislike the same things, this is what makes a solid friendship."

"To like and dislike the same things, this is what makes a solid friendship."

Sallust, Roman Historian

4

"God is best known in not knowing him."

"God is best known in not knowing him."

Saint Aurelius Augustine, Roman Theologian

4

"Do not disturb yourself by picturing your life as a whole; do not assemble in your mind the many and varied troubles which have come to you in the past and will come again in the future, but ask yourself with regard to every present difficulty: 'What is there in this that is unbearable and beyond endurance?' You would be ashamed to confess it! And then remind yourself that it is not the future or what has passed that afflicts you, but always the present, and the power of this is much diminished if you take it in isolation and call your mind to task if it thinks that it cannot stand up to it when taken on its own."

"Do not disturb yourself by picturing your life as a whole; do not assemble in your mind the many and varied troubles which have come to you in the past and will come again in the future, but ask yourself with regard to every present difficulty: 'What is there in this that is unbearable and beyond endurance?' You would be ashamed to confess it! And then remind yourself that it is not the future or what has passed that afflicts you, but always the present, and the power of this is much diminished if you take it in isolation and call your mind to task if it thinks that it cannot stand up to it when taken on its own."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Stoicism, Present, Mindfulness, Wisdom

4

"O wretched man, wretched not just because of what you are, but also because you do not know how wretched you are!"

"O wretched man, wretched not just because of what you are, but also because you do not know how wretched you are!"

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

4

"It is only the ignorant who despise education."

"It is only the ignorant who despise education."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

4

"Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also."

"Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

4

"They are so knowing, that they know nothing."

"They are so knowing, that they know nothing."

Terence, Roman Writer

4

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