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
views multitudes
The views of the multitude are neither bad nor good. [Lat., Neque mala, vel bona, quae vulgus putet.]
powerful remembrance ill
The powerful hold in deep remembrance an ill-timed pleasantry. [Lat., Facetiarum apud praepotentes in longum memoria est.]
children liberty fool
[That form of] eloquence, the foster-child of licence, which fools call liberty. [Lat., Eloquentia, alumna licentiae, quam stulti libertatem vocabant.]
law kind cycles
In all things there is a kind of law of cycles. [Lat., Rebus cunctis inest quidam velut orbis.]
fortune good-fortune
We are corrupted by good fortune. [Lat., Felicitate corrumpimur.]
character fame modest
Modest fame is not to be despised by the highest characters. [Lat., Modestiae fama neque summis mortalibus spernenda est.]
fall danger should
If we must fall, we should boldly meet the danger. [Lat., Si cadere necesse est, occurendum discrimini.]
business firsts inconsiderate
All inconsiderate enterprises are impetuous at first, but soon lanquish. [Lat., Omnia inconsulti impetus coepta, initiis valida, spatio languescunt.]
cassius brutus portraits
Cassius and Brutus were the more distinguished for that very circumstance that their portraits were absent. [Lat., Praefulgebant Cassius atque Brutus eo ipso, quod effigies eorum non videbantur.]
absence
Conspicuous by his absence.
reform rich poor
Necessity reforms the poor, and satiety reforms the rich.
power guilt purpose
Power acquired by guilt was never used for a good purpose. [Lat., Imperium flagitio acquisitum nemo unquam bonis artibus exercuit.]
power council cautious
Power is more safely retained by cautious than by severe councils. [Lat., Potentiam cautis quam acribus consiliis tutius haberi.]
fallen shrinks
A woman once fallen will shrink from no impropriety.