Quintilian
Quintilian
Marcus Fabius Quintilianuswas a Roman rhetorician from Hispania, widely referred to in medieval schools of rhetoric and in Renaissance writing. In English translation, he is usually referred to as Quintilian, although the alternate spellings of Quintillian and Quinctilian are occasionally seen, the latter in older texts...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionEducator
except quotes
To swear, except when necessary, is becoming to an honorable man.
procrastination too-late grows
Whilst we deliberate how to begin a thing, it grows too late to begin it.
powerful character men
God, that all-powerful Creator of nature and architect of the world, has impressed man with no character so proper to distinguish him from other animals, as by the faculty of speech.
writing wells
Write quickly and you will never write well; write well, and you will soon write quickly.
opportunity mind lost
While we are making up our minds as to when we shall begin. the opportunity is lost.
dream hope vain
Vain hopes are like certain dreams of those who wake.
writing impossible should
One should aim not at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.
work eye mind
If you direct your whole thought to work itself, none of the things which invade eyes or ears will reach the mind.
reading book mind
We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.
heart inspire eloquence
It is the heart which inspires eloquence.
life sloth excuse
We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.
training speech impressive
A mediocre speech supported by all the power of delivery will be more impressive than the best speech unaccompanied by such power.
life food mind
Our minds are like our stomaches; they are whetted by the change of their food, and variety supplies both with fresh appetite.
father pregnancy parent
As regards parents, I should like to see them as highly educated as possible, and I do not restrict this remark to fathers alone.