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
men law permit
The wit of man has devised cruel statutes, And nature oft permits what is by law forbid.
wise wisdom may
If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands unfirm, the smallest force overthrows.
prayer future feet
When worse may yet befall, there's room for prayer, But when our fortune's at its lowest ebb, We trample fear beneath our feet, and live Without a fear of evil yet to come.
fickle wavering steps
With wavering steps does fickle fortune stray, Nowhere she finds a firm and fixed abode; But now all smiles, and now again all frowns, She's constant only in inconstancy.
novelty charming all-things
Novelty in all things is charming.
heaven rewards cherish
Heaven rewards the pious; those who cherish the gods Themselves are cherished.
hands restraint grows
Some wounds grow worse beneath the surgeon's hand; Better that they were not touched at all.
mean want limits
He lives well who lives retired, and keeps His wants within the limits of his means.
safety no-fear ill
Let others seek safety. Nothing is safer than misfortune, Where there's no fear of greater ill to come.
merit action praise
Though strength be wanting, the will to action Merits praise.
pride haughtiness companion
Pride is innate in beauty, and haughtiness is the companion of the fair.
excellence difficulty
There is no excellency without difficulty.
mind spurs fame
The love of fame puts spurs to the mind
moving water sloth
Thou seest how sloth wastes the sluggish body, as water is corrupted unless it moves.