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Horace Quotes

Quintus Horatius Flaccus (8 December 65 BC – 27 November 8 BC), known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading lyric poet in Latin.

Philosophers
Poets
Satirists

Also known as: Quintus Horatius Flaccus

Random Horace quote

314 quotes

The more a man denies himself, the more he shall receive from heaven. Naked, I seek the camp of those who covet nothing.

The short span of life forbids us to spin out hope to any length. Soon will night be upon you, and the fabled Shades, and the shadowy Plutonian home.

Aequam memento rebus in arduis
servare mentem.

Odes (-23)

The labour and tediousness of polishing (any work of art, poetry, painting, etc.) as though with a file.

Nothing is too high for the daring of mortals: we would storm heaven itself in our folly.

None knows the reason why this curse
Was sent on him, this love of making verse.

Ars Poetica, or The Epistle to the Pisones (-18)

Those who want much, are always much in need; happy the man to whom God gives with a sparing hand what is sufficient for his wants.

I am not bound over to swear allegiance to any master; where the storm drives me I turn in for shelter.

I hate the uncultivated crowd and keep them at a distance. Favour me by your tongues (keep silence).

Don't yield to that alluring witch, laziness, or else be prepared to surrender all that you have won in your better moments.

Who then is free? The wise man who can govern himself.

Sunt delicta tamen quibus ignovisse velimus.

Ars Poetica, or The Epistle to the Pisones (-18)

I live and reign since I have abandoned those pleasures which you by your praises extol to the skies.

When discord dreadful bursts her brazen bars,
And shatters locks to thunder forth her wars.

Look round and round the man you recommend,
For yours will be the shame should he offend.

Epistles (-20)

Let me possess what I now have, or even less, so that I may enjoy my remaining days, if Heaven grant any to remain.

The body loaded by the excess of yesterday, depresses the mind also, and fixes to the ground this particle of divine breath.

If you rank me with the lyric poets, my exalted head shall strike the stars.

Let us seize, friends, our opportunity from the day as it passes.

Let me keep what I have now—or less even—so that I may live the rest of my life for myself (if the gods grant me any more life to live).

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Horace (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.