Tacitus Quotes

The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.
Tacitus

State, Corrupt, Laws

Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth; when perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed; nor has anyone who is apt to be angry when he hears the truth any cause to wonder that he does not hear it.
Tacitus

Truth, Freedom, Fear

In a state where corruption abounds, laws must be very numerous.
Tacitus

Corruption, State, Laws

A shocking crime was committed on the unscrupulous initiative of few individuals, with the blessing of more, and amid the passive acquiescence of all.
Tacitus

Blessing, Few, Crime

To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace.
Tacitus

Peace, Call, Steal

Abuse if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated, you will be thought to have deserved it.
Tacitus

Yourself, Thought, Die

Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay; falsehood by haste and uncertainty.
Tacitus

Truth, Haste, Falsehood

The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.
Tacitus

Great, Against, Desire

He that fights and runs away, May turn and fight another day; But he that is in battle slain, Will never rise to fight again.
Tacitus

Fight, May, Battle

When men are full of envy they disparage everything, whether it be good or bad.
Tacitus

To show resentment at a reproach is to acknowledge that one may have deserved it.
Tacitus

May, Show, Resentment

A desire to resist oppression is implanted in the nature of man.
Tacitus

Nature, Desire, Oppression

Be assured those will be thy worst enemies, not to whom thou hast done evil, but who have done evil to thee. And those will be thy best friends, not to whom thou hast done good, but who have done good to thee.
Tacitus

History, Good, Best

When the state is most corrupt, then the laws are most multiplied.
Tacitus

State, Corrupt, Laws

A bad peace is even worse than war.
Tacitus

Peace, War, Bad

Candor and generosity, unless tempered by due moderation, leads to ruin.
Tacitus

Unless, Generosity, Moderation

Many who seem to be struggling with adversity are happy; many, amid great affluence, are utterly miserable.
Tacitus

Great, Happy, Adversity

Prosperity is the measure or touchstone of virtue, for it is less difficult to bear misfortune than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure.
Tacitus

Difficult, Less, Pleasure

Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader.
Tacitus

Business, Leader, Reason

All enterprises that are entered into with indiscreet zeal may be pursued with great vigor at first, but are sure to collapse in the end.
Tacitus

Great, End, May

Greater things are believed of those who are absent.
Tacitus

Greater, Absent, Believed

It is human nature to hate the man whom you have hurt.
Tacitus

Nature, Hurt, Hate

It is less difficult to bear misfortunes than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure.
Tacitus

Difficult, Less, Pleasure

No one would have doubted his ability to reign had he never been emperor.
Tacitus

Ability, Reign, Emperor

Noble character is best appreciated in those ages in which it can most readily develop.
Tacitus

Best, Character, Noble

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Biography

Nationality: Roman

Type: Historian

Born: 55

Died: 120

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Cite this Page: Citation

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