Marcus Tullius Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicerowas a Roman philosopher, politician, lawyer, orator, political theorist, consul, and constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the Roman equestrian order, and was one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionStatesman
truth writing law
Who does not know history's first law to be that an author must not dare to tell anything but the truth? And its second that he must make bold to tell the whole truth? That there must be no suggestion of partiality anywhere in his writings? Nor of malice?
death courage men
For a courageous man cannot die dishonorably, a man who has attained the consulship cannot die before his time, a philosopher cannot die wretchedly.
two laughing religion
The well-known old remark of Cato, who used to wonder how two soothsayers could look one another in the face without laughing.
peace war yield
Let arms yield to the toga, let the [victor's] laurel yield to the [orator's] tongue.
poetry excellence madness
Democritus maintains that there can be no great poet without a spite of madness.
life change time
For if that last day does not occasion an entire extinction, but a change of abode only, what can be more desirable? And if it, on the other hand, destroys and absolutely puts an end to us, what can be preferable to having a deep sleep fall on us in the midst of the fatigues of life and, being thus overtaken, to sleep to eternity?
strong cities house
But if you should take the bond of goodwill out of the universe no house or city could stand, nor would even the tillage of the fields abide. If that statement is not clear, then you may understand how great is the power of friendship and of concord from a consideration of the results of enmity and disagreement. For what house is so strong, or what state so enduring that it cannot be utterly overthrown by animosities and division?
men life-is fortune
Man's life is ruled by fortune, not by wisdom.
impossible wonder happens
To wonder at nothing when it happens, to consider nothing impossible before it has come to pass.
praise
We all are imbued with the love of praise.
art work men
Let every man practice the art that he knows best.
honorable persons
It is not the place that maketh the person, but the person that maketh the place honorable.
perception cognition approval
There is nothing more shocking than to see assertion and approval dashing ahead of cognition and perception.
war safety honor
A war is never undertaken by the ideal State, except in defense of its honor or its safety.