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
war law silent
The law is silent during war. [Lat., Silent leges inter arma.]
war may acquisition
Let war be so carried on that no other object may seem to be sought but the acquisition of peace. [Lat., Bellum autem ita suscipiatur, ut nihil aliud, nisi pax, quaesita videatur.]
war home army
An army abroad is of little use unless there are prudent counsels at home. [Lat., Parvi enim sunt foris arma, nisi est consilium domi.]
war enemy victory
Wars, therefore, are to be undertaken for this end, that we may live in peace, without being injured; but when we obtain the victory, we must preserve those enemies who behaved without cruelty or inhumanity during the war.
views feelings abuse
Scurrility has no object in view but incivility; if it is uttered from feelings of petulance, it is mere abuse; if it is spoken in a joking manner, it may be considered raillery.
offering rewards virtue
That which leads us to the performance of duty by offering pleasure as its reward, is not virtue, but a deceptive copy and imitation of virtue. [Lat., Nam quae voluptate, quasi mercede aliqua, ad officium impellitur, ea non est virtus sed fallax imitatio simulatioque virtutis.]
taken names consistency
Virtue is uniform, conformable to reason, and of unvarying consistency; nothing can be added to it that can make it more than virtue; nothing can be taken from it, and the name of virtue be left.
practice virtue whole
The whole of virtue consists in its practice.
perfect virtue finished
No one dies too soon who has finished the course of perfect virtue.
views theatre action
Every generous action loves the public view; yet no theatre for virtue is equal to a consciousness of it.
vanity virtue ifs
What fervent love of herself would Virtue excite if she could be seen!
truth lying littles
He who has once deviated from the truth, usually commits perjury with as little scruple as he would tell a lie. [Lat., Qui semel a veritate deflexit, hic non majore religione ad perjurium quam ad mendacium perduci consuevit.]
truth men world
Oh, how great is the power of truth! which of its own power can easily defend itself against all the ingenuity and cunning and wisdom of men, and against the treacherous plots of all the world.
art roots tree
In all great arts, as in trees, it is the height that charms us; we care nothing for the roots or trunks, yet it could not be without the aid of these.