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
ideas desire able
He who has it in his power to commit sin, is less inclined to do so. The very idea of being able, weakens the desire.
bears able misfortunes-of-others
Consider the misfortunes of others, and you will be the better able to bear your own.
food able appetite
Stop short of your appetite; eat less than you are able.
life wish able
Thus I am not able to exist either with you or without you; and I seem not to know my own wishes.
night ugly woman
At night there is no such thing as an ugly woman
borne
The burden which is well borne becomes light.
whether women
Whether they give or refuse, it delights women just the same to have been asked.
believe
He who can believe himself well, will be well.
darkness fault hid night woman
Blemishes are hid by night and every fault forgiven; darkness makes any woman fair.
anger becomes belongs fair ferocious peace
Fair peace becomes men; ferocious anger belongs to beasts.
death frown sneer worried
A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right man's brow.
prince
A prince should be slow to punish, and quick to reward.
people
In our leisure we reveal what kind of people we are.
love majesty nor
Majesty and love do not consort well together, nor do they dwell in the same place.