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
should ability exceed
Our liberality should not exceed our ability.
generosity should ability
Our generosity never should exceed our abilities.
discipline reason should
Reason should direct, and appetite obey.
confidence grace should
The mansion should not be graced by its master, the master should grace the mansion.
philosophical said should
In honorable dealing you should consider what you intended, not what you said or thought.
leader principles should
The leaders should all relate to this principle: the governed must be as happy as possible.
men good-man should
I will adhere to the counsels of good men, although misfortune and death should be the consequence.
punishment should
Anger should never appear in awarding punishment.
evil should exes
Of evils one should choose the least. [Lat., Ex malis eligere minima oportere.]
foolish danger should
We should never so entirely avoid danger as to appear irresolute and cowardly; but, at the same time, we should avoid unnecessarily exposing ourselves to danger, than which nothing can be more foolish.
slavery sometimes should
He is sometimes slave who should be master; and sometimes master who should be slave.
war way should
War should be undertaken in such a way as to show that its only object is peace.
should
Whatever befalls in accordance with nature should be accounted good.
preparation matter should
In all matters, before beginning, a diligent preparation should be made.