Character is long-standing habit.
Real excellence, indeed, is most recognized when most openly looked into.
As geographers, Sosius, crowd into the edges of their maps parts of the world which they do not know about, adding notes in the margin to the effect that beyond this lies nothing but sandy deserts full of wild beasts, and unapproachable bogs.
A warrior carries his shield for the sake of the entire line.
Forgetfulness transforms every occurrence into a non-occurrence.
Blinded as they are to their true character by self-love, every man is his own first and chiefest flatterer, prepared, therefore, to welcome the flatterer from the outside, who only comes confirming the verdict of the flatterer within.