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
fall law ends
Our magistrates discharge their duties best at the beginning; and fall off toward the end. [Lat., Initia magistratuum nostrorum meliora, ferme finis inclinat.]
law libertarian commonwealth
Laws were most numerous when the commonwealth was most corrupt
law numbers government
The injustice of a government is proportional to the number of its laws.
law precedent found
It is found by experience that admirable laws and right precedents among the good have their origin in the misdeeds of others.
law kind cycles
In all things there is a kind of law of cycles. [Lat., Rebus cunctis inest quidam velut orbis.]
character law history
Augustus gradually increased his powers, taking over those of the senate, the executives and the laws. The aristocracy received wealth and position in proportion to their willingness to accept slavery. The state had been transformed, and the old Roman character gone for ever. Equality among citizens was completely abandoned. All now waited on the imperial command.
law liberty states
When the State is corrupt, then the laws are most multiplied.
law cycles all-things
In all things there is a law of cycles.
law suffering politics
Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws.
law lawyer corruption
In a state where corruption abounds, laws must be very numerous.
corrupt law-and-lawyers
The more corrupt the state, the more laws.
bear last learned love men
Love of fame is the last thing even learned men can bear to be parted from.
human nature whom
It is human nature to hate the man whom you have hurt.
bear less misfortune prosperity remain touchstone
Prosperity is the measure or touchstone of virtue, for it is less difficult to bear misfortune than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure.