Quotes By Tacitus

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

Be assured those will be thy worst enemies, not to whom thou hast done evil, but who have done evil to thee. And those will be thy best friends, not to whom thou hast done good, but who have done good to thee.

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

It is human nature to hate the man whom you have hurt.

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

He that fights and runs away, May turn and fight another day; But he that is in battle slain, Will never rise to fight again.

Things forbidden have a secret charm.

Greater things are believed of those who are absent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

When a woman has lost her chastity she will shrink from nothing.

Many who seem to be struggling with adversity are happy; many, amid great affluence, are utterly miserable.

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

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

All enterprises that are entered into with indiscreet zeal may be pursued with great vigor at first, but are sure to collapse in the end.

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

It is less difficult to bear misfortunes than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure.

The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.

No one would have doubted his ability to reign had he never been emperor.

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

Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth; when perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed; nor has anyone who is apt to be angry when he hears the truth any cause to wonder that he does not hear it.

Valor is of no service, chance rules all, and the bravest often fall by the hands of cowards.

To show resentment at a reproach is to acknowledge that one may have deserved it.

Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader.

Custom adapts itself to expediency.

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