Tacitus
Tacitus
PubliusCornelius Tacituswas a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors. These two works span the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus in AD 14 to the years of the First Jewish–Roman War in AD 70. There are substantial lacunae in the surviving texts,...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionHistorian
disease operations remedy
Remedies are slower in their operation than diseases.
military fall fate
If we must fall, we should boldly meet our fate.
wise desire lasts
The desire of glory is the last infirmity cast off even by the wise.
genius talent influence
The persecution of genius fosters its influence.
hate hatred violent
The hatred of those who are near to us is most violent.
men lasts fame
Even for learned men, love of fame is the last thing to be given up.
growth body decay
All bodies are slow in growth but rapid in decay.
life usual lovers
Then there is the usual scene when lovers are excited with each other, quarrels, entreaties, reproaches, and then fondling reconcilement.
men design infinite
Secure against the designs of men, secure against the malignity of the Gods, they have accomplished a thing of infinite difficulty; that to them nothing remains even to be wished.
ignorance reality thinking
In careless ignorance they think it civilization, when in reality it is a portion of their slavery...To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false pretenses, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace.
hate persistence compassion
The customs of the Jews are base and abominable and owe their persistence to their depravity. Jews are extremely loyal to one another, always ready to show compassion, but towards every other people they feel only hate and enimity. As a race (the Jews are not a race, because they have mingled with the other races to the point that they are only a people, not a race), they are prone to lust; among themselves nothing is unlawful.
hate hatred humans
It is human to hate those whom we have injured.
fear brave despair
The brave and bold persist even against fortune; the timid and cowardly rush to despair though fear alone.
hate power inheritance
Those in supreme power always suspect and hate their next heir.