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18 Tacitus Quotes

Tacitus presents lofty, reflective thoughts on law and morality that feel like timeless counsel from an ancient philosopher.

Tacitus quotes

  1. Idque apud imperitos humanitas vocabatur, cum pars servitutis esset.

    #1

  2. Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

    #2

  3. Et maiores vestros et posteros cogitate.

    #3

  4. Tu vero felix, Agricola, non vitae tantum claritate, sed etiam opportunitate mortis.

    #4

  5. Quanquam severa illic matrimonia

    #5

  6. ...good habits are here more effectual than good laws elsewhere. (translation)

    #6

  7. It is the rare fortune of these days that one may think what one likes and say what one thinks.

    #7

  8. Once killing starts, it is difficult to draw the line.

    #8

  9. The desire for glory clings even to the best men longer than any other passion.

    #9

  10. Deos fortioribus adesse.

    #10

  11. The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government.

    #11

  12. He had talents equal to business, and aspired no higher.

    #12

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

  13. What is today supported by precedents will hereafter become a precedent.

    #13

  14. So true is it that all transactions of preeminent importance are wrapt in doubt and obscurity; while some hold for certain facts the most precarious hearsays, others turn facts into falsehood; and both are exaggerated by posterity.

    #14

  15. Abuse, if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated you will be thought to have deserved it.

    #15

  16. Liberty is given by nature even to mute animals.

    #16

  17. Great empires are not maintained by timidity.

    #17

  18. The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

    #18