Juvenal
Juvenal
Decimus Iūnius Iuvenālis , known in English as Juvenal /ˈdʒuːvənəl/, was a Roman poet active in the late 1st and early 2nd century AD, author of the Satires. The details of the author's life are unclear, although references within his text to known persons of the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD fix his terminus post quem...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionPoet
contented license sin
No man's contented just so much to sin - As you may license him
bird black earth rare
A rare bird on earth, and very like a black swan.
fools itself life revenge sweeter
Revenge is sweet, sweeter than life itself - so say fools
bears commit crime crime-and-criminals cross price wears
Many commit the same crime with a different destiny; one bears a cross as the price of his villainy, another wears a crown.
mind prayer sound
Your prayer must be for a sound mind in a sound body.
age age-and-aging bloom brief calling far flies flowers life narrow short wine
The short bloom of our brief and narrow life flies far away. While we are calling for flowers and wine and woman, old age is upon us.
bread circus people sports
Two things only the people anxiously desire, bread and the circus games.
command
I wish it, I command it. Let my will take the place of a reason.
virtues
Our virtues are most frequently but vices disguised.
incurable itch possesses writers-and-writing
Writing is the incurable itch that possesses many.
beauty rare-beauty unions
Rare is the union of beauty and purity.
health mind body
You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body.
kindness lying dishonesty
There is nothing worse than words of kindness that lie.
giving circus bread
Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt