Quintilian Quotes - Page 4

Although virtue receives some of its excellencies from nature, yet it is perfected by education. [Lat., Virtus, etiamsi quosdam impetus a natura sumit, tamen perficienda doctrina est.]

The soul languishing in obscurity contracts a kind of rust, or abandons itself to the chimera of presumption; for it is natural for it to acquire something, even when separated from any one.

By writing quickly we are not brought to write well, but by writing well we are brought to write quickly.

It seldom happens that a premature shoot of genius ever arrives at maturity.

One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.

For all the best teachers pride themselves on having a large number of pupils and think themselves worthy of a bigger audience.

A Woman who is generous with her money is to be praised; not so, if she is generous with her person

Consequently the student who is devoid of talent will derive no more profit from this work than barren soil from a treatise on agriculture.

She abounds with lucious faults.

(Slaughter) means blood and iron. [Lat., Coedes videtur significare sanguinem et ferrum.]

Lately we have had many losses.

A liar must have a good memory. -Mendacem oportet esse memorem

A man who tries to surpass another may perhaps succeed in equaling inot actually surpassing him, but one who merely follows can never quite come up with him: a follower, necessarily, is always behind.

From writing rapidly it does not result that one writes well, but from writing well it results that one writes rapidly.

For comic writers charge Socrates with making the worse appear the better reason.

Verse satire indeed is entirely our own.