Horace Quotes

Sovereign money procures a wife with a large fortune, gets a man credit, creates friends, stands in place of pedigree, and even of beauty.

Drive Nature from your door with a pitchfork, and she will return again and again.

Be smart, drink your wine.

Thus one thing requires assistance from another, and joins in friendly help.

As shines the moon amid the lesser fires.

It is not enough that poetry is agreeable, it should also be interesting.

The ox longs for the gaudy trappings of the horse; the lazy pack-horse would fain plough. [We envy the position of others, dissatisfied with our own.]

He will be beloved when he is no more.

Let us seize, friends, our opportunity from the day as it passes.

Happy the man, and happy he alone, he who can call today his own: he who, secure within, can say, tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today. Be fair or foul or rain or shine, the joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine. Not Heaven itself upon the past has power, but what has been, has been, and I have had my hour.

Books have their destinies.

Avoid greatness in a cottage there may be more real happiness than kings or their favourites enjoy.

In labouring to be brief, I become obscure.

Of writing well the source and fountainhead is wise thinking.

Poets are never allowed to be mediocre by the gods, by men or by publishers.

When I struggle to be terse, I end by being obscure.

The covetous are always in want.

All men do not, in fine, admire or love the same thing.

The muse does not allow the praise-de-serving here to die: she enthrones him in the heavens.

Let me posses what I now have, or even less, so that I may enjoy my remaining days, if Heaven grant any to remain.

You are judged of by what you possess.

What does not wasting time change! The age of our parents, worse than that of our grandsires, has brought us forth more impious still, and we shall produce a more vicious progeny.

He tells old wives' tales much to the point.

It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity

Noble descent and worth, unless united with wealth, are esteemed no more than seaweed.

Increasing wealth is attended by care and by the desire of greater increase.

To the inexperienced it is a pleasant thing to court the favour of the great; an experienced man fears it.

The hour of happiness will be the more welcome, the less it was expected.

Where there are many beauties in a poem I shall not cavil at a few faults proceeding either from negligence or from the imperfection of our nature.

It is right for him who asks forgiveness for his offenses to grant it to others.

People hiss at me, but I applaud myself in my own house, and at the same time contemplate the money in my chest.

Death's dark way Must needs be trodden once, however we pause.

Success in the affairs of life often serves to hide one's abilities, whereas adversity frequently gives one an opportunity to discover them.

It is sweet and right to die for the homeland, but it is sweeter to live for the homeland, and the sweetest to drink for it. Therefore, let us drink to the health of the homeland.

In giving advice I advise you, be short.

Catch the opportunity while it lasts, and rely not on what the morrow may bring.

He that has given today may, if he so please, take away tomorrow.

Had the crow only fed without cawing she would have had more to eat, and much less of strife and envy to contend with. [To noise abroad our success is to invite envy and competition.]

The Sun, the stars and the seasons as they pass, some can gaze upon these with no strain of fear.

He who speaks ill of an absent friend, or fails to take his part if attacked by another, that man is a scoundrel.

The more a man denies himself, the more shall he obtain from God.

Nor has he spent his life badly who has passed it in privacy.

Oh! thou who are greatly mad, deign to spare me who am less mad.

Be ever on your guard what you say of anybody and to whom.

Stronger than thunder's winged force All-powerful gold can speed its course; Through watchful guards its passage make, And loves through solid walls to break.

One night awaits all, and death's path must be trodden once and for all.

There are faults we would fain pardon.

Forgetful of thy tomb thou buildest houses.