Tacitus
Tacitus
PubliusCornelius Tacituswas a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors. These two works span the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus in AD 14 to the years of the First Jewish–Roman War in AD 70. There are substantial lacunae in the surviving texts,...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionHistorian
character age noble
Noble character is best appreciated in those ages in which it can most readily develop.
habit expediency customs
Custom adapts itself to expediency.
office evil deeds
The principal office of history I take to be this: to prevent virtuous actions from being forgotten, and that evil words and deeds should fear an infamous reputation with posterity.
harm proof valour
Indeed, the crowning proof of their valour and their strength is that they keep up their superiority without harm to others.
bears pleasure difficult
It is less difficult to bear misfortunes than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure.
believe men good-man
You might believe a good man easily, a great man with pleasure. -Bonum virum facile crederes, magnum libenter
animal liberty mute
Liberty is given by nature even to mute animals.
fashion laughing vices
No one in Germany laughs at vice, nor do they call it the fashion to corrupt and to be corrupted.
stronger sides
The gods are on the side of the stronger.
men excellence moral
In seasons of tumult and discord bad men have most power; mental and moral excellence require peace and quietness.
science grace concerned
The sciences throw an inexpressible grace over our compositions, even where they are not immediately concerned; as their effects are discernible where we least expect to find them.
law liberty states
When the State is corrupt, then the laws are most multiplied.
thinking opinion judged
Things are not to be judged good or bad merely because the public think so.
law cycles all-things
In all things there is a law of cycles.