C.N. Douglas, comp. Forty Thousand Quotations: Prose and Poetical. 1917.
Plautus
A good disposition I far prefer to gold; for gold is the gift of fortune; goodness of disposition is the gift of nature. I prefer much rather to be called good than fortunate.
A well-balanced mind is the best remedy against affliction.
All good men and women should be on their guard to avoid guilt, and even the suspicion of it.
And so it happens oft in many instances; more good is done without our knowledge than by us intended.
Arrogance is the outgrowth of prosperity.
Bad conduct soils the finest ornament more than filth.
Courage in danger is half the battle.
Disgrace is immortal, and living even when one thinks it dead.
Do you never look at yourself when you abuse another person?
Enemies carry about slander, not in the form in which it took its rise.***The scandal of men is everlasting; even then does it survive when you would suppose it to be dead.
Every man, however wise, requires the advice of some sagacious friend in the affairs of life.
Every one can remember that which has interested himself.
Feast to-day makes fast to-morrow.
Fortitude is a great help in distress.
Fortune molds and circumscribes human affairs as she pleases.
He carries a stone in one hand, and offers bread with the other.
He gains wisdom in a happy way who gains it by another’s experience.
He is a friend who, in dubious circumstances, aids in deeds when deeds are necessary.
He who dies for virtue does not perish.
He who seeks for gain must be at some expense.
He whom the gods love dies young, while he is in health, has his senses and his judgment sound.
“He wishes well” is worthless, unless the deed go with it.
How bitter it is to reap a harvest of evil for good that you have done.
How often we see the greatest genius buried in obscurity!
I count him lost who is lost to shame.
I esteem death a trifle, if not caused by guilt.
If anything is spoken in jest, it is not fair to turn it to earnest.
If you are content, you have enough to live comfortably.
If you have overcome your inclination and not been overcome by it, you have reason to rejoice.
If you lend a person any money, it becomes lost for any purpose as one’s own. When you ask for it back again, you may find a friend made an enemy by your kindness. If you begin to press still further, either you must part with that which you have intrusted, or else you must lose that friend.
In everything the middle course is best: all things in excess bring trouble to men.
It does not matter a feather whether a man be supported by patron or client, if he himself wants courage.
It is a tiresome way of speaking, when you should despatch the business, to beat about the bush.
It is wretched business to be digging a well just as thirst is mastering you.
Keep what you’ve got: the ills that we know are the best.
Know not what you know, and see not what you see.
Know this, that troubles come swifter than the things we desire.
Let a man who wants to find abundance of employment procure a woman and a ship: for no two things do produce more trouble if you begin to equip them; neither are these two things ever equipped enough.
Man’s fortune is usually changed at once; life is changeable.
No man has perpetual good fortune.
No man is wise enough by himself.
One eye-witness is of more weight than ten hearsays.
Riches, rightly used, breed delight.
That man is worthless who knows how to receive a favor, but not how to return one.
The gods play games with men as balls.
The men who convey and those who listen to calumnies should, if I could have my way, all hang, the tale-bearers by their tongues, the listeners by their ears.
The mind is hopeful; success is in God’s hands. (Man proposes, God disposes).
The prudent man really frames his own fortunes for himself.
The sea is certainly common to all.
The stronger always succeeds. (The weakest goes to the wall.)
There is indeed a God that hears and sees whate’er we do.
There is nothing more friendly than a friend in need.
Things unhoped for happen oftener than things we desire.
Things which you don’t hope happen more frequently than things which you do hope.
This is the great fault in wine; it first trips up the feet, it is a cunning wrestler.
Those men who carry about and who listen to accusations should all be hanged, if so it could be at my decision—the carriers by their tongues, the listeners by their ears.
To some purpose is that man wise who gains his wisdom at another’s expense.
When you ask for it back again, you find a friend made an enemy by your own kindness. If you begin to press still further—either you must part with that which you have intrusted, or else you must lose that friend.
Wine is a cunning wrestler.
Women have many faults, but of the many this is the greatest, that they please themselves too much, and give too little attention to pleasing the men.
You drown him by your talk.
You love a nothing when you love an ingrate.