Quotes by Roman Authors | Beyond Motive 9/42

top of page

Quotes by Roman Authors

"Laws are subordinate to custom."

"Laws are subordinate to custom."

Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman Poet

Consequence, Custom, Laws

43

"A contented mind is the best source for trouble."

"A contented mind is the best source for trouble."

Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman Poet

43

"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

43

"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

43

"He who has lost honor can lose nothing more."

"He who has lost honor can lose nothing more."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

43

"All things fade and quickly turn to myth."

"All things fade and quickly turn to myth."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Impermanence, Myth, Life, Truth

43

"Come what may, all bad fortune is to be conquered by endurance."

"Come what may, all bad fortune is to be conquered by endurance."

Virgil, Roman Poet

Society, Endurance, Fortune, May

43

"Each day is the scholar of yesterday."

"Each day is the scholar of yesterday."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Learning, Day, Yesterday

43

"Men are only clever at shifting blame from their own shoulders to those of others."

"Men are only clever at shifting blame from their own shoulders to those of others."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Man, Men, Blame

43

"The opportunity is often lost by deliberating."

"The opportunity is often lost by deliberating."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Generosity, Opportunity

43

"If ye despise the human race, and mortal arms, yet remember that there is a God who is mindful of right and wrong."

"If ye despise the human race, and mortal arms, yet remember that there is a God who is mindful of right and wrong."

Virgil, Roman Poet

God, Race, Right, Wrong

43

"There is no such thing as pure pleasure; some anxiety always goes with it."

"There is no such thing as pure pleasure; some anxiety always goes with it."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Anxiety, Pleasure

43

"Among those who share a throne there can be no loyalty; Dominion's ever impatient consort."

"Among those who share a throne there can be no loyalty; Dominion's ever impatient consort."

Marcus Annaeus Lucan, Roman Poet

43

"Take the word of experience, I speak the truth: inaction is safest in danger."

"Take the word of experience, I speak the truth: inaction is safest in danger."

Silius Italicus, Roman Poet

Experience, Danger, Inaction, Word

43

"Temerity is not always successful."

"Temerity is not always successful."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Success, Successful

43

"Hope is patience with the lamp lit."

"Hope is patience with the lamp lit."

Tertullian, Roman Author

43

"Kings are more prone to mistrust the good than the bad; and they are always afraid of the virtues of others."

"Kings are more prone to mistrust the good than the bad; and they are always afraid of the virtues of others."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Politics, Kings, Mistrust

43

"Who can blind lover's eyes?"

"Who can blind lover's eyes?"

Virgil, Roman Poet

Society, Blind, Eyes

43

"The outcome is not up to you. The outlook is."

"The outcome is not up to you. The outlook is."

Germany Kent, Roman Soldier

Optimism, Choice, Attitude, Life, Mindset

43

"The usual complaint is, 'I have no other way of earning a living.' The harsh reply can be, 'Do you have to live?'"

"The usual complaint is, 'I have no other way of earning a living.' The harsh reply can be, 'Do you have to live?'"

Tertullian, Roman Author

Work, Complaint, Living

43

"You can take a chance with any man who pays his bills on time."

"You can take a chance with any man who pays his bills on time."

Terence, Roman Writer

Time, Chance, Man

43

"If fortune favors you do not be elated; if she frowns do not despond."

"If fortune favors you do not be elated; if she frowns do not despond."

Ausonius, Roman Poet

Self-Awareness, Favors, Fortune

43

"When a woman has lost her chastity she will shrink from nothing."

"When a woman has lost her chastity she will shrink from nothing."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Woman, Chastity, Nothing, Will

43

"For you to ask advice on the rules of love is no better than to ask advice on the rules of madness."

"For you to ask advice on the rules of love is no better than to ask advice on the rules of madness."

Terence, Roman Writer

Love, Advice, Madness, Rules

43

"Art thou the King of the Jews?"

"Art thou the King of the Jews?"

Pontius Pilate, Roman Politician

43

"Envy aims very high."

"Envy aims very high."

Ovid, Roman Poet

43

"Just as I shall select my ship when I am about to go on a voyage, or my house when I propose to take a residence, so I shall choose my death when I am about to depart from life."

"Just as I shall select my ship when I am about to go on a voyage, or my house when I propose to take a residence, so I shall choose my death when I am about to depart from life."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

43

"We make a ladder for ourselves of our vices, if we trample those same vices underfoot."

"We make a ladder for ourselves of our vices, if we trample those same vices underfoot."

Saint Augustine, Algerian Saint

Vice, Vices, Saint Aurelius Augustine, Roman, Theologian

43

"You are unfortunate in my judgment, for you have never been unfortunate. You have passed through life with no antagonist to face you; no one will know what you were capable of, not even you yourself."

"You are unfortunate in my judgment, for you have never been unfortunate. You have passed through life with no antagonist to face you; no one will know what you were capable of, not even you yourself."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Adversity, Fortune, Resilience, Reflection

43

"As a rule, men worry more about what they can't see than about what they can."

"As a rule, men worry more about what they can't see than about what they can."

Julius Caesar, Roman Leader

Wisdom, Men, Worry

43

"Here is a man whose life and actions the world has already condemned - yet whose enormous fortune...has already brought him acquittal!"

"Here is a man whose life and actions the world has already condemned - yet whose enormous fortune...has already brought him acquittal!"

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Inequality, Wealth, Justice, Power

43

"A person's worth is measured by the worth of what he values."

"A person's worth is measured by the worth of what he values."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Morality, Values, Worth, Measure, Priority

43

"Pale Death beats equally at the poor man's gate and at the palaces of kings."

"Pale Death beats equally at the poor man's gate and at the palaces of kings."

Horace, Roman Poet

Death, Kings, Man, Poor

43

"If you do not have control over your mouth, you will not have control over your future."

"If you do not have control over your mouth, you will not have control over your future."

Germany Kent, Roman Soldier

Self-Control, Control, Future, Speech, Power

43

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful."

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Religion, People, Statesman

43

"God looks at the clean hands, not the full ones."

"God looks at the clean hands, not the full ones."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

43

"The anger of lovers renews their love."

"The anger of lovers renews their love."

Terence, Roman Writer

Anger, Love, Lovers

43

"The shortest route to wealth is the contempt of wealth."

"The shortest route to wealth is the contempt of wealth."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Wealth, Simplicity, Focus, Discipline

43

"In Rome you long for the country. In the country you praise to the skies the distant town."

"In Rome you long for the country. In the country you praise to the skies the distant town."

Horace, Roman Poet

Discontent, Longing, Perspective, Desire

43

"Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm."

"Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Reflection, Sea

43

"6 Ways To Give Your Mind A Break:1. Stop stressing. 2. Stop worrying. 3. Give rest to the problems weighing you down. 4. Lighten up. 5. Forgive yourself. 6. Forgive others."

"6 Ways To Give Your Mind A Break:1. Stop stressing. 2. Stop worrying. 3. Give rest to the problems weighing you down. 4. Lighten up. 5. Forgive yourself. 6. Forgive others."

Germany Kent, Roman Soldier

Peace, Mindfulness, Forgiveness, Stress

43

"You must become an old man in good time if you wish to be an old man long."

"You must become an old man in good time if you wish to be an old man long."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

43

"Man is not man, but a wolf to those he does not know."

"Man is not man, but a wolf to those he does not know."

Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman Poet

43

"People are slow to claim confidence in undertakings of magnitude."

"People are slow to claim confidence in undertakings of magnitude."

Ovid, Roman Poet

People, Confidence

43

"Whatever is well said by another is mine."

"Whatever is well said by another is mine."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Wisdom, Speech, Knowledge, Truth

43

"Audacity augments courage; hesitation, fear."

"Audacity augments courage; hesitation, fear."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Courage, Fear, Hesitation

43

"The first reaction to truth is hatred."

"The first reaction to truth is hatred."

Tertullian, Roman Author

Truth, First, Hatred

43

"He who can believe himself well, will be well."

"He who can believe himself well, will be well."

Ovid, Roman Poet

43

"Sexual ecstasy is like death. It is one of the secrets of nature's wisdom."

"Sexual ecstasy is like death. It is one of the secrets of nature's wisdom."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Nature, Sexuality, Ecstasy, Wisdom

43

"Love only what befalls you and is spun for you by fate."

"Love only what befalls you and is spun for you by fate."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Stoicism, Love, Fate, Acceptance, Destiny

42

bottom of page