Marcus Tullius Cicero Quotes

Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body.

Philosophy is true mother of the arts [of science].

There is no fortune so strong that money cannot take it.

Like associates with like.

For surely to be wise is the most desirable thing in all the world.

Generosity should never exceed ability.

To give counsel, as well as to take it, is a feature of true friendship.

The nobler a man, the harder it is for him to suspect inferiority in others.

Friendship makes prosperity more brilliant, and lightens adversity by dividing and sharing it.

Little by little old age renders the body less powerful.

It is the nature of every person to error, but only the fool perseveres in error.

Justice is the set and constant purpose which gives every man his due.

A perverse temper and fretful disposition will make any state of life whatsoever unhappy.

For the laws are dumb in the midst of arms.

Every stage of human life, except the last, is marked out by certain and defined limits; old age alone has no precise and determinate boundary.

There is pleasure in calm remembrance of a past sorrow.

This is our special duty, that if anyone specially needs our help, we should give him such help to the utmost of our power.

The gods attend to great matters, they neglect small ones.

Let arms yield to the toga, let the [victor's] laurel yield to the [orator's] tongue.

No wise man has called a change of opinion in constancy.

Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul.

We study history not to be clever in another time, but to be wise always.

I criticize by creation - not by finding fault.

By doubting we come at truth.

Calamus fortior gladio.

Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first; rather the beginnings of things arise from natural talent, and ends are reached by discipline.

It is graceful in a man to think and to speak with propriety, to act with deliberation, and in every occurrence of life to find out and persevere in the truth. On the other hand, to be imposed upon, to mistake, to falter, and to be deceived, is as ungraceful as to rave or to be insane.

No phase of life, whether public or private, can be free from duty.

Not to know what happened before means to remain forever a child.

Let your desires be ruled by reason.

The whole of virtue consists in its practice.

They who say that we should love our fellow-citizens but not foreigners, destroy the universal brotherhood of mankind, with which benevolence and justice would perish forever.

If we are forced, at every hour, to watch or listen to horrible events, this constant stream of ghastly impressions will deprive even the most delicate among us of all respect for humanity.

For a courageous man cannot die dishonorably, a man who has attained the consulship cannot die before his time, a philosopher cannot die wretchedly.

If you possess a library and a garden, you have everything you need. (translation from the French) Si vous possedez une bibliotheque et un jardin, vous avez tout ce qu'il vous faut.

It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor.

Honourable mention encourages science, and merit is fostered by praise.

To be content with what we possess is the greatest and most secure of riches.

Every one is least known to himself, and it is very difficult for a man to know himself.

Exile is terrible to those who have, as it were, a circumscribed habitation; but not to those who look upon the whole globe but as one city.

Old age: the crown of life, our play's last act.

Sweet is the recollection of difficulties overcome.

While there's life, there's hope.

Glory follows virtue as if it were its shadow.

How do our philosophers act? Do they not inscribe their signatures to the very essays they write on the propriety of despising glory.

The mansion should not be graced by its master, the master should grace the mansion.

Hours and days and months and years go by; the past returns no more, and what is to be we cannot know; but whatever the time gives us in which we live, we should therefore be content.

This is the truth: as from a fire aflame thousands of sparks come forth, even so from the Creator an infinity of beings have life and to him return again.