Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus. The rhetorician Quintilian regarded his Odes as just about the only Latin lyrics worth reading: "He can be lofty sometimes, yet he is also full of charm and grace, versatile in his figures, and felicitously daring in his choice of words."...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionPoet
heaven may posse
Let me posses what I now have, or even less, so that I may enjoy my remaining days, if Heaven grant any to remain.
memories lessons may
The poets aim is either to profit or to please, or to blend in one the delightful and the useful. Whatever the lesson you would convey, be brief, that your hearers may catch quickly what is said and faithfully retain it. Every superfluous word is spilled from the too-full memory.
men may knaves
Even virtue followed beyond reason's rule May stamp the just man knave, the sage a fool.
suffering poverty may
Poverty urges us to do and suffer anything that we may escape from it, and so leads us away from virtue.
sleep long may
In a long work sleep may be naturally expected.
may looks tomorrow
If things look badly to-day they may look better tomorrow.
running may needs
There is need of brevity, that the thought may run on.
may natural force
You may suppress natural propensities by force, but they will be certain to re-appear.
cute shining may
You may see me, fat and shining, with well-cared for hide, . . . a hog from Epicurus' herd. [Lat., Me pinguem et nitidum bene curata cute vises, . . . Epicuri de grege porcum.]
treasure may contemplating
The mob may hiss me, but I congratulate myself while I contemplate my treasures in their hoard.
patience may made
What may not be altered is made lighter by patience.
may events looking-forward
Busy not yourself in looking forward to the events of to-morrow; but whatever may be those of the days Providence may yet assign you neglect not to turn them to advantage.
may too-much fly-away
Abridge your hopes in proportion to the shortness of the span of human life; for while we converse, the hours, as if envious of our pleasure, fly away: enjoy, therefore, the present time, and trust not too much to what to-morrow may produce.
mind may
Be brief, that the mind may catch thy precepts, and the more easily retain them.