Quotes by Roman Authors

The greatest of empires, is the empire over one's self.
Publilius Syrus
Learn whom God has ordered you to be, and in what part of human affairs you have been placed.
Persius
All outdoors may be bedlam, provided there is no disturbance within.
Seneca
What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself.
Seneca
We survive on adversity and perish in ease and comfort.
Livy
Say not always what you know, but always know what you say.
Claudius
As I approve of a youth that has something of the old man in him so I am no less pleased with an old man that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule may be old in body but can never be so in mind.
Cicero
The remedy for wrongs is to forget them.
Syrus
The obscurity of a writer is generally in proportion to his incapacity.
Quintilian
In adversity remember to keep an even mind.
Horace
Nothing common can seem worthy of you.
Cicero
Happy the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind and has given up worrying once and for all.
Ovid
There is nothing so wretched or foolish as to anticipate misfortunes. What madness is it in expecting evil before it arrives?
Marcus Annaeus Seneca
Socrates indeed when he was asked of what country he called himself said "Of the world" for he considered himself an inhabitant and a citizen of the whole world.
Cicero
For it is commonly said: accomplished labours are pleasant.
Cicero
Love of bustle is not industry.
Seneca
A word to the wise is sufficient.
Terence
He utters empty words he utters sound without mind.
Virgil
He who begun has half done. Dare to be wise begin.
Horace
A woman either loves or hates: she knows no medium.
Syrus
Whether they give or refuse women are glad to have been asked.
Ovid
I know the nature of women When you want to they don't want to And when you don't want to they desire exceedingly.
Terence
What one beholds of a woman is the least part of her.
Ovid
A woman is always buying something.
Ovid
As you cannot do what you wish you should wish what you can do.
Terence
Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength.
Phaedrus
The sun also shines on the wicked.
Seneca
All cruelty springs from weakness.
Seneca
No man ever became very wicked all at once.
Juvenal
Riches either serve or govern the possessor.
Horace
No good man ever became suddenly rich.
Syrus
A bad peace is even worse than war.
Tacitus
The smell of profit is clean and sweet whatever the source.
Juvenal
Veni vidi vici. (I came I saw I conquered.)
Julius Caesar
Honor is the reward of virtue.
Cicero
Vice can be learnt even without a teacher.
Seneca
By union the smallest states thrive by discord the greatest are destroyed.
Sallust
He who strikes terror into others is himself in continual fear.
Claudian
Trust one who has tried.
Virgil
Love conquers all.
Virgil
Treachery though at first very cautious in the end betrays itself.
Livy
Events of great consequence often spring from trifling circumstances.
Livy
Tomorrow life is too late: live today.
Martial
An age builds up cities: an hour destroys them.
Seneca
O temporal O mores! O what times! what morals!
Cicero
Enjoy the present day trusting very little to the morrow.
Horace
Better late than never.
Livy
If you wish to reach the highest begin at the lowest.
Publilius Syrus
Time is a sort of river of passing events and strong is its current no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place and this too will be swept away.
Marcus Aurelius
Time discovered truth.
Seneca
The passing minute is every man's equal possession but what has once gone by is not ours.
Marcus Aurelius
Any man may make a mistake none but a fool will stick to it. Second thoughts are best as the proverb says.
Cicero
The sole life which a man can lose is that which he is living at the moment.
Marcus Aurelius
The changing year's progressive plan Proclaims mortality to man.
Horace
Who knows if the gods above will add tomorrow's span to this day's sum?
Horace
We are always beginning to live but are never living.
Manilius
Be satisfied and pleased with what thou art Act cheerfully and well thy allotted part Enjoy the present hour be thankful for the past And neither fear nor wish the approaches of the last.
Martial
It is not the weight of the future or the past that is pressing upon you but ever that of the present alone. Even this burden too can be lessened if you confine it strictly to its own limits.
Marcus Aurelius
Tomorrow I will live the fool does say today itself's too late the wise lived yesterday.
Martial
Everyman's life lies within the present for the past is spent and done with and the future is uncertain.
Marcus Aurelius