Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso, known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace with whom he is often ranked as one of the three canonical poets of Latin literature. The Imperial scholar Quintilian considered him the last of the Latin love elegists. He enjoyed enormous popularity, but, in one of the mysteries of literary history, he was sent by Augustus into exile...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionPoet
beautiful shining house
Brass shines with constant usage, a beautiful dress needs wearing,Leave a house empty, it rots.
hands royalty firm
It is something to hold the scepter with a firm hand. [Lat., Est aliquid valida sceptra tenere manu.]
kings hands long
Knowest thou not that kings have long hands? [Lat., An nescis longos regibus esse manus?]
melancholy solitary ifs
You will be melancholy, if you are solitary.
honesty adversity evil
Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.
god heaven earth
There is a god within us, and the heavens Have intercourse with earth; from realms above That spirit comes.
time age degrees
All-devouring time, envious age, Nought can escape you, and by slow degrees, Worn by your teeth, all things will lingering die.
appreciation men flames
The applause and the favour of our fellow-men Fan even a spark of genius to a flame.
past giving use
We praise times past, while we times present use; Yet due the worship which to each we give.
rocks water stones
What is harder than stone? What more soft than water? Nevertheless hard though the rock be, it is hollowed by the wave.
blind reason impulse
What is now an act of reason, was but blind impulse.
charming charm
Whatever charm thou hast, be charming.
heart sick bears
When the heart is sick it cannot bear the slightest annoyance.
lightning doe strikes
When the lightning strikes but one, not one only does it terrify.