Quotes by Roman Authors | Beyond Motive 9/38

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Quotes by Roman Authors

"Practice is the best of all instructors."

"Practice is the best of all instructors."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

15

"To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace."

"To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Peace, Wilderness

15

"If you would have me weep, you must first of all feel grief yourself."

"If you would have me weep, you must first of all feel grief yourself."

Horace, Roman Poet

Empathy, First, Grief

15

"An angry man is again angry with himself when he returns to reason."

"An angry man is again angry with himself when he returns to reason."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

Anger, Man, Reason

15

"The deferring of anger is the best antidote to anger."

"The deferring of anger is the best antidote to anger."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Anger, Statesman, Lucius Annaeus Seneca

15

"I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 96% how I react to it."

"I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 96% how I react to it."

Scipio Africanus, Roman Soldier

15

"Children should be led into the right paths, not by severity, but by persuasion."

"Children should be led into the right paths, not by severity, but by persuasion."

Terence, Roman Writer

Family, Children, Persuasion, Right

15

"I've come across people who say that there is a sort of inborn restlessness in the human spirit and an urge to change one's abode; for man is endowed with a mind which is changeable and and unsettled: nowhere at rest, it darts about and directs its thoughts to all places known and unknown, a wanderer which cannot endure repose and delights chiefly in novelty."

"I've come across people who say that there is a sort of inborn restlessness in the human spirit and an urge to change one's abode; for man is endowed with a mind which is changeable and and unsettled: nowhere at rest, it darts about and directs its thoughts to all places known and unknown, a wanderer which cannot endure repose and delights chiefly in novelty."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Life, Curiosity, Change, Exploration

15

"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

15

"Everything that has a beginning comes to an end."

"Everything that has a beginning comes to an end."

Marcus Fabius Quintilian, Roman Philosopher

15

"Let him who desires peace prepare for war."

"Let him who desires peace prepare for war."

Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, Roman Writer

15

"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

15

"We are free to yield to truth."

"We are free to yield to truth."

Horace, Roman Poet

15

"Our minds are like our stomaches; they are whetted by the change of their food, and variety supplies both with fresh appetite."

"Our minds are like our stomaches; they are whetted by the change of their food, and variety supplies both with fresh appetite."

Marcus Fabius Quintilian, Roman Philosopher

Change, Food, Appetite, Variety

15

"Barley porridge, or a crust of barley bread, and water do not make a very cheerful diet, but nothing gives one keener pleasure than having the ability to derive pleasure even from that-- and the feeling of having arrived at something which one cannot be deprived of by any unjust stroke of fortune."

"Barley porridge, or a crust of barley bread, and water do not make a very cheerful diet, but nothing gives one keener pleasure than having the ability to derive pleasure even from that-- and the feeling of having arrived at something which one cannot be deprived of by any unjust stroke of fortune."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Happiness, Gratitude, Contentment, Resilience

15

"We forget our pleasures, we remember our sufferings."

"We forget our pleasures, we remember our sufferings."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

15

"No verse can give pleasure for long, nor last, that is written by drinkers of water."

"No verse can give pleasure for long, nor last, that is written by drinkers of water."

Horace, Roman Poet

Pleasure, Water

15

"A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue."

"A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue."

Marcus Fabius Quintilian, Roman Philosopher

15

"Might was the measure of right."

"Might was the measure of right."

Marcus Annaeus Lucan, Roman Poet

15

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

Seneca, Roman Philosopher

Success, Luck, Opportunity, Preparation

15

"Chance is always powerful. Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be fish."

"Chance is always powerful. Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be fish."

Ovid, Roman Poet

Chance, Fish, Will

15

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

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

Ovid, Roman Poet

15

"For it would have been better that man should have been born dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor."

"For it would have been better that man should have been born dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor."

Marcus Fabius Quintilian, Roman Philosopher

Destruction, Dumb, Gifts, Man

15

"It is foolish to tear one's hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness."

"It is foolish to tear one's hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Grief, Hair, Sorrow

14

"He tosses aside his paint-pots and his words a foot and a half long."

"He tosses aside his paint-pots and his words a foot and a half long."

Horace, Roman Poet

14

"Gentleness is the antidote for cruelty."

"Gentleness is the antidote for cruelty."

Phaedrus, Roman Poet

Character, Cruelty

14

"Everything that rises sets, and everything that grows, grows old."

"Everything that rises sets, and everything that grows, grows old."

Sallust, Roman Historian

14

"Is your cucumber bitter? Throw it away. Are there briars in your path? Turn aside. That is enough. Do not go on and say, "Why were things of this sort ever brought into this world?" neither intolerable nor everlasting - if thou bearest in mind that it has its limits, and if thou addest nothing to it in imagination. Pain is either an evil to the body (then let the body say what it thinks of it!)-or to the soul. But it is in the power of the soul to maintain its own serenity and tranquility. . . ."

"Is your cucumber bitter? Throw it away. Are there briars in your path? Turn aside. That is enough. Do not go on and say, "Why were things of this sort ever brought into this world?" neither intolerable nor everlasting - if thou bearest in mind that it has its limits, and if thou addest nothing to it in imagination. Pain is either an evil to the body (then let the body say what it thinks of it!)-or to the soul. But it is in the power of the soul to maintain its own serenity and tranquility. . . ."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Serenity, Pain, Tranquility, Soul

14

"Fate will find a way."

"Fate will find a way."

Virgil, Roman Poet

14

"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

14

"All things fade into the storied past, and in a little while are shrouded in oblivion."

"All things fade into the storied past, and in a little while are shrouded in oblivion."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Impermanence, Past, Time, Memory, History

14

"It is kindness to immediately refuse what you intend to deny."

"It is kindness to immediately refuse what you intend to deny."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

14

"No one would have doubted his ability to reign had he never been emperor."

"No one would have doubted his ability to reign had he never been emperor."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

14

"All those who offer an opinion on any doubtful point should first clear their minds of every sentiment of dislike, friendship, anger or pity."

"All those who offer an opinion on any doubtful point should first clear their minds of every sentiment of dislike, friendship, anger or pity."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Friendship, Anger, First, Opinion

14

"No man is wise enough by himself."

"No man is wise enough by himself."

Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman Poet

14

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Law, Laws, State

14

"I fear the Greeks, even when they bring gifts."

"I fear the Greeks, even when they bring gifts."

Virgil, Roman Poet

14

"The entire fruit is already present in the seed."

"The entire fruit is already present in the seed."

Tertullian, Roman Author

14

"It is not these well-fed long-haired men that I fear, but the pale and the hungry-looking."

"It is not these well-fed long-haired men that I fear, but the pale and the hungry-looking."

Julius Caesar, Roman Leader

Inspirational, Men, Fear

14

"An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit."

"An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit."

Pliny the Elder, Roman Author

Acquisition, Charm, Possession, Pursuit

14

"He who seeks for gain, must be at some expense."

"He who seeks for gain, must be at some expense."

Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman Poet

14

"Veiling truth in mystery."

"Veiling truth in mystery."

Virgil, Roman Poet

14

"Of all the haunting moments of motherhood, few rank with hearing your own words come out of your daughter's mouth."

"Of all the haunting moments of motherhood, few rank with hearing your own words come out of your daughter's mouth."

Victoria Secunda, Roman Psychologist

Daughter, Hearing, Moments, Motherhood

14

"Just to stir things up seemed a great reward in itself."

"Just to stir things up seemed a great reward in itself."

Sallust, Roman Historian

14

"He who flees will fight again."

"He who flees will fight again."

Tertullian, Roman Author

14

"We are born princes and the civilizing process makes us frogs."

"We are born princes and the civilizing process makes us frogs."

Publilius Syrus, Roman Writer

14

"The medicine increases the disease."

"The medicine increases the disease."

Virgil, Roman Poet

Medicine, Disease

14

"The glory that goes with wealth is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal."

"The glory that goes with wealth is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Virtue, Wealth, Glory, Possession

14

"When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield."

"When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield."

Quintilian, Roman Educator

14

"We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve."

"We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve."

Sallust, Roman Historian

14

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