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Ammianus Marcellinus Quotes
330–400
Ammianus Marcellinus, occasionally anglicised as Ammian (Greek: Αμμιανός Μαρκελλίνος; c. 330 – c. 391–400), was a Roman soldier and historian who wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from antiquity (preceding Procopius). Written in Latin and known as the Res gestae, his work chronicled the history of Rome from the accession of the Emperor Nerva in 96 to the death of Valens at the Battle of Adrianople in 378.
Also known as: Ammian
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14 quotes
No power or virtue of man could ever have deserved that what has been fated should not have taken place.
The language of truth is unadorned and always simple.
The plain and simple religion of the Christians he obscured by a dotard's superstition, and by subtle and involved discussions about dogma.
Any one who is prosperous may by the turn of fortune's wheel become most wretched before evening.
Wicked deeds are generally done, even with impunity, for the mere desire of occupation.
Wicked acts are accustomed to be done with impunity for the mere desire of occupation.
For I am too cautious or (to speak more truly) too timid, to exaggerate anything beyond what is proven by trustworthy and sure evidence.
Yet the success of plans and the advantage to be derived from them do not at all times agree, seeing the gods claim to themselves the right to decide as to the final result.
For perfect truth is always simple.
But this one thing was inhumane, and ought to be buried in eternal silence, namely, that he forbade teachers of rhetoric to practise their profession, if they were followers of the Christian religion.
Truth is often attended with danger.
He summoned to the palace the bishops of the Christians, who were of conflicting opinions, and the people, who are also at variance, and politely advised them to lay aside their differences, and each fearlessly and without opposition to observe his own beliefs.
Superstitious rather than truly religious, he sacrificed innumerable victims without regard to cost, so that one might believe that if he had returned from the Parthians, there would soon be a scarcity of cattle.
From the smoke into the fire.
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