Tacitus's Quotes: top 100 famous quotes about Tacitus's

Tacitus's Quotes & Sayings

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Nature gives liberty even to dumb animals. — Tacitus

It is not becoming to grieve immoderately for the dead. — Tacitus

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

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

Noble character is best appreciated in those ages in which it can most readily develop. — Tacitus

A cowardly populace which will dare nothing beyond talk.
[Lat., Vulgus ignavum et nihil ultra verba ausurum.] — Tacitus

In private enterprises men may advance or recede, whereas they who aim at empire have no alternative between the highest success and utter downfall. — Tacitus

Cruelty is fed, not weakened, by tears. — Tacitus

Traitors are hated even by those whom they prefer. — Tacitus

Valor is the contempt of death and pain. — Tacitus

Greater things are believed of those who are absent. — Tacitus

Zealous in the commencement, careless in the end. — Tacitus

We are corrupted by good fortune.
[Lat., Felicitate corrumpimur.] — Tacitus

Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so. — Christopher B. Krebs

Men are more ready to repay an injury than a benefit, because gratitude is a burden and revenge a pleasure — Tacitus

A shocking crime was committed on the unscrupulous initiative of few individuals, with the blessing of more, and amid the passive acquiescence of all. — Tacitus

Other men have acquired fame by industry, but this man by indolence. — Tacitus

It is always easier to requite an injury than a service: gratitude is a burden, but revenge is found to pay. — Tacitus

In peace alone reason was heard and merit distinguished; but in the rage of war the blind steel spared the innocent no more than the guilty. — Tacitus

Prosperity is the measure or touchstone of virtue, for it is less difficult to bear misfortune than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure. — Tacitus

Eloquence wins its great and enduring fame quite as much from the benches of our opponents as from those of our friends. — Tacitus

I am my nearest neighbour. — Tacitus

Keen at the start, but careless at the end. — Tacitus

To live without having a Cicero and a Tacitus at hand seems to me as if it was aprivation of one of my limbs. — John Quincy Adams

Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay; falsehood by haste and uncertainty. — Tacitus

It is a characteristic of the human mind to hate the man one has injured. — Tacitus

A bad peace is even worse than war. — Tacitus

Laws were most numerous when the commonwealth was most corrupt — Tacitus

Even for learned men, love of fame is the last thing to be given up. — Tacitus

Even honor and virtue make enemies, condemning, as they do, their opposites by too close a contrast. — Tacitus

The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates. — Tacitus

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

Nothing mortal is so unstable and subject to change as power which has no foundation. — Tacitus

A desire to resist oppression is implanted in the nature of man. — Tacitus

Posterity will pay everyone their due. — Tacitus

The worst crimes were dared by a few, willed by more and tolerated by all. — Tacitus

The repose of nations cannot be secure without arms, armies cannot be maintained without pay, nor can the pay be produced without taxes — Tacitus

Kindness, so far as we can return it, is agreeable. — Tacitus

Who, to say nothing about the perils of an awful and unknown sea, would have left Asia or Africa or Italy to look for Germany? — Tacitus

The unknown always passes for the marvellous. — Tacitus

Falsehood avails itself of haste and uncertainty. — Tacitus

Good turns are pleasing only in so far as they seem repayable; much beyond that we repay with hatred, not gratitude. — Tacitus

Great empires are not maintained by timidity. — Tacitus

It is more reverent to believe in the works of the Deity than to comprehend them. — Tacitus

When the state is most corrupt, then the laws are most multiplied. — Tacitus

You might believe a good man easily, a great man with pleasure. -Bonum virum facile crederes, magnum libenter — Tacitus

The persecution of genius fosters its influence. — Tacitus

People flatter us because they can depend upon our credulity. — Tacitus

Such being the happiness of the times, that you may think as you wish, and speak as you think. — Tacitus

Seek to make a person blush for their guilt rather than shed their blood. — Tacitus

Reason and calm judgment, the qualities specially belonging to a leader. — Tacitus

Lust of power is the most flagrant of all the passions — Tacitus

Things forbidden have a secret charm. — Tacitus

The hatred of relatives is the most violent. — Publius Cornelius Tacitus

Crime, once exposed, has no refuge but in audacity. — Tacitus

Then there is the usual scene when lovers are excited with each other, quarrels, entreaties, reproaches, and then fondling reconcilement. — Tacitus

Even the bravest men are frightened by sudden terrors. — Tacitus

Candor and generosity, unless tempered by due moderation, leads to ruin. — Tacitus

Legions and fleets are not such sure bulwarks of imperial power as a numerous family — Tacitus

Posterity gives every man his true value. — Tacitus

By general consent, he would have been capable of ruling, had he not ruled. — Tacitus

That cannot be safe which is not honourable. — Tacitus

[Asiaticus responds] Ask your sons, Suillius. They will testify to my masculinity. — Tacitus

When men of talents are punished, authority is strengthened.
[Lat., Punitis ingeniis, gliscit auctoritas.] — Tacitus

By punishing men of talent we confirm their authority. — Tacitus

Love of fame is the last thing even learned men can bear to be parted from. — Tacitus

Everything unknown is magnified.
[Lat., Omne ignotum pro magnifico est.] — Tacitus

All things atrocious and shameless flock from all parts to Rome. — Tacitus

In a state where corruption abounds, laws must be very numerous. — Tacitus

An eminent reputation is as dangerous as a bad one. — Tacitus

The more corrupt the republic, the more numerous the laws. — Tacitus

When men are full of envy they disparage everything, whether it be good or bad. — Tacitus

When perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed. — Tacitus

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

It belongs to human nature to hate those you have injured. — Tacitus

Liberty is given by nature even to mute animals. — Tacitus

Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader. — Tacitus

Custom adapts itself to expediency. — Tacitus

Flattery labors under the odious charge of servility. — Tacitus

It is the nature of the human disposition to hate him whom you have injured. — Tacitus

War will of itself discover and lay open the hidden and rankling wounds of the victorious party. — Tacitus

Rarely will two or three tribes confer to repulse a common danger. Accordingly they fight individually and are collectively conquered. — Tacitus

In stirring up tumult and strife, the worst men can do the most, but peace and quiet cannot be established without virtue. — Tacitus

More faults are often committed while we are trying to oblige than while we are giving offense. — Tacitus

Chief among the forces affecting political folly is lust for power, named by Tacitus as the most flagrant of all passions. — Barbara W. Tuchman

It is human to hate those whom we have injured. — Tacitus

The love of dominion is the most engrossing passion. — Tacitus

The injustice of a government is proportional to the number of its laws. — Tacitus

Reckless adventure is the fool's hazard. — Tacitus

The gods are on the side of the stronger. — Tacitus

It is human nature to hate the one whom you have hurt. — Tacitus

It is of eloquence as of a flame; it requires matter to feed it, and motion to excite it; and it brightens as it burns. — Tacitus

The views of the multitude are neither bad nor good.
[Lat., Neque mala, vel bona, quae vulgus putet.] — Tacitus

Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws. — Tacitus

We extol ancient things, regardless of our own times.
[Lat., Vetera extollimus recentium incuriosi.] — Tacitus

None make a greater show of sorrow than those who are most delighted. — Tacitus

They make solitude, which they call peace. — Tacitus

It is common, to esteem most what is most unknown. — Tacitus

For he would twist a word or a look into a crime and treasure it up in his memory. — Tacitus

To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace. — Tacitus