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Cicero Quotes
b. 106 BC
Marcus Tullius Cicero (3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC), infrequently known by the anglicized name Tully in the Middle Ages and after, was a Roman philosopher, politician, lawyer, orator, political theorist, consul and constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the Roman equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.
Lawyers Philosophers Translators Also known as: Marcus Tullius Cicero, The Extremes of Good and Evil, Tully
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Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, deerit nihil.
Ye immortal gods! where in the world are we?
So near is falsehood to truth that a wise man would do well not to trust himself on the narrow edge.
Friendship makes prosperity brighter, while it lightens adversity by sharing its griefs and anxieties.
What greater or better gift can we offer the republic than to teach and instruct our youth?
Time destroys the figments of the imagination, while confirming the judgments of nature.
De Natura Deorum – On the Nature of the Gods (-45)
I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know.
Whatever befalls in accordance with Nature should be accounted good.
Cato Maior de Senectute – On Old Age (-44)
Honorable things, not secretive things, are sought by good men.
De Officiis – On Duties (-44)
I do not wish to die: but I care not if I were dead.
No man was ever great without divine inspiration.
Philosophy is true mother of the arts. (Science)
Extreme justice is extreme injustice.
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. "Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, nihil deerit." (Literally: If you have a garden in your library, nothing will be lacking).
You must therefore love me, myself, and not my circumstances, if we are to be real friends.
They are such fools that they seem to expect that, though the Republic is lost, their fish-ponds will be safe.
Natural ability without education has more often attained to glory and virtue than education without natural ability.
But still anger ought be far from us, for nothing is able to be done rightly nor judiciously with anger.
De Officiis – On Duties (-44)
From the beginning of the world it has been ordained that certain signs must needs precede certain events.
De Divinatione – On Divination (-44)
I have always been of the opinion that infamy earned by doing what is right is not infamy at all, but glory.
In Catilinam I – Against Catiline (-63)
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