Tacitus Quotes - Page 2

It belongs to human nature to hate those you have injured.

Necessity reforms the poor, and satiety reforms the rich.

Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth.

Following Emporer Nero's command, "Let the Christians be exterminated!:" . . . they [the Christians] were made the subjects of sport; they were covered with the hides of wild beasts and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights.

An honorable death is better than a dishonorable life. [Lat., Honesta mors turpi vita potior.]

A desire to resist oppression is implanted in the nature of man.

Things forbidden have a secret charm.

Power won by crime no one ever yet turned to a good purpose.

People flatter us because they can depend upon our credulity.

Reason and calm judgment, the qualities specially belonging to a leader.

In a state where corruption abounds, laws must be very numerous.

Even the bravest men are frightened by sudden terrors.

The word liberty has been falsely used by persons who, being degenerately profligate in private life, and mischievous in public, had no hope left but in fomenting discord.

The most seditious is the most cowardly.

In valor there is hope.

A bad peace is even worse than war.

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

In the struggle between those seeking power there is no middle course.

Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay; falsehood by haste and uncertainty.

A shocking crime was committed on the unscrupulous initiative of few individuals, with the blessing of more, and amid the passive acquiescence of all.

Flatterers are the worst kind of enemies. [Lat., Pessimum genus inimicorum laudantes.]

I am my nearest neighbour.

Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth; when perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed; nor has anyone who is apt to be angry when he hears the truth any cause to wonder that he does not hear it.

It is the rare fortune of these days that one may think what one likes and say what one thinks.

Cruelty is fed, not weakened, by tears.