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Of what use are pedigrees, or to be thought of noble blood, or
the display of family portraits, O Ponticus?
[Lat., Stemmata quid faciunt, quid prodest, Pontice, longo,
Sanguine censeri pictosque ostendere vultus.]
Topic: Ancestry
Source: Satires (VIII, 1)
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A rare bird upon the earth, and exceedingly like a black swan.
[Lat., Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno.]
Topic: Birds
Source: Satires (VI, 165)
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Many commit the same crimes with a very different result. One
bears a cross for his crime; another a crown.
[Lat., Multi committunt eadem diverso crimina fato;
Ille crucem scleris pretium tulit, hic diadema.]
Topic: Crime
Source: Satires (XIII, 103)
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By his own verdict no guilty man was ever acquitted.
[Lat., Se judice, nemo nocens absolvitur.]
Topic: Crime
Source: Satires (XIII, 2)
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For whoever meditates a crime is guilty of the deed.
[Lat., Nam scelus intra se tacitum qui cogitat ullum,
Facti crimen habet.]
Topic: Crime
Source: Satires (XIII, 209)
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You are not to do evil that good may come of it.
[Lat., Non faciat malum, ut inde veniat bonum.]
Topic: Crime
Source: Satires (XIII, 209)
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In their palate alone is their reason of existence.
[Lat., In solo vivendi causa palata est.]
Topic: Eating
Source: Satires (II, 11)
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To eat at another's table is your ambition's height.
[Lat., Bona summa putes, aliena vivere quadra.]
Topic: Eating
Source: Satires (V, 2)
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Whence do you derive the power and privilege of a parent, when
you, though an old man, do worse things (than your child)?
[Lat., Unde tibi frontem libertatemque parentis,
Cum facias pejora senex?
Topic: Example
Source: Satires (XIV, 56)
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Who'd bear to hear the Gracchi chide sedition? (Listen to those
who denounce what they do themselves.)
[Lat., Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditone querentes?]
Topic: Faults
Source: Satires (II, 24)
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The fisherman could perhaps be bought for less than the fish.
[Lat., Potuit fortasse minoria
Piscator quam piscis emi.]
Topic: Fishermen
Source: Satires (satire IV, l. 26)
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The skilful class of flatterers praise the discourse of an
ignorant friend and the face of a deformed one.
[Lat., Adulandi gens prudentissima laudat
Sermonem indocti, faciem deformis amici.]
Topic: Flattery
Source: Satires (III, 86)
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Whenever fortune wishes to joke, she lifts people from what is
humble to the highest extremity of affairs.
[Lat., Ex humili magna ad fastigia rerum
Extollit, quoties voluit fortuna jocari.]
Topic: Forgiveness
Source: Satires (III, 39)
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Let me moderate our sorrows. The grief of a man should not
exceed proper bounds, but be in proportion to the blow he has
received.
[Lat., Ponamus nimios gemitus: flagrantior aequo
Non debet dolor esse viri, nec vulnere major.]
Topic: Grief
Source: Satires (XIII, 11)
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Whatever guilt is perpetrated by some evil prompting, is grievous
to the author of the crime. This is the first punishment of
guilt that no one who is guilty is acquitted at the judgment seat
of his own conscience.
[Lat., Exemplo quodcumque malo committitur, ipsi
Displicet auctori. Prima est haec ultio, quod se
Judice nemo nocens absolvitur.]
Topic: Guilt
Source: Satires (XIII, 1)
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Our prayers should be for a sound mind in a healthy body.
[Lat., Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano.]
Topic: Health
Source: Satires (X, 356)
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For He, who gave this vast machine to roll,
Breathed Life in then, in us a Reasoning Soul;
That kindred feelings might our state improve,
And mutual wants conduct to mutual love.
Topic: Humanity
Source: Satire XV (l. 203)
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Bid the hungry Greek go to heaven, he will go.
[Lat., Graeculus esuriens in coelum, jusseris, ibit.]
Topic: Hunger
Source: Satires (III, 78)
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We are all easily taught to imitate what is base and depraved.
[Lat., Dociles imitandis
Turpibus ac pravis omnes sumus.]
Topic: Imitation
Source: Satires (XIV, 40)
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Go, madman! rush over the wildest Alps, that you may please
children and be made the subject of declamation.
[Lat., I demens! et saevas curre per Alpes,
Ut pueris placeas et declamatio fias.]
Topic: Insanity
Source: Satires (X, 166)
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With thumb turned.
[Lat., Verso pollice.]
Topic: Judgment
Source: Satires (III, 36)
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What is there that you enter upon so favorably as not to repent
of the undertaking and the accomplishment of your wish?
[Lat., Quid tam dextro pede concipis ut te conatus non poeniteat
votique peracti?]
Topic: Judgment
Source: Satires (X, 5)
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Everything is Greek, when it is more shameful to be ignorant of
Latin.
[Lat., Omnia Graece!
Cum sit turpe magis nostris nescire Latine.]
Topic: Linguists
Source: Satires (VI, 187), (second line said to be spurious)
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A lucky man is rarer than a white crow.
[Lat., Felix ille tamen corvo quoque rarior albo.]
Topic: Luck
Source: Satires (VII, 202)
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A sound mind in a sound body is a thing to be prayed for.
[Lat., Orandum est, ut sit mens sana in corpore sano.]
Topic: Medicine
Source: Satires (X, 356)
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Fond man! though all the heroes of your line
Bedeck your halls, and round your galleries shine
In proud display; yet take this truth from me--
Virtue alone is true nobility!
Topic: Nobility
Source: Satire VIII (l. 29), (Gifford's translation)
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I only feel, but want the power to paint.
[Lat., Nequeo monstrare et sentio tantum.]
Topic: Painting
Source: Satires (VII, 56)
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Father of his country.
[Lat., Pater pariae.]
Topic: Patriotism
Source: Satires (VIII, 244), title bestowed on Cicero (64 BC) after his consulship
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Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for
your country.
Topic: Patriotism
Source: Satires (VIII, 244), title bestowed on Cicero (64 BC) after his consulship
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A man who won't die for something is not fit to live.
Topic: Patriotism
Source: Satires (VIII, 244), title bestowed on Cicero (64 BC) after his consulship
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Rare indulgence produces greater pleasure.
[Lat., Voluptates commendat rarior usus.]
Topic: Pleasure
Source: Satires (XI, 208)
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There is nothing which power cannot believe of itself, when it is
praised as equal to the gods.
[Lat., Nihil est quod credere de se
Non possit, quum laudatur dis aequa potestas.]
Topic: Power
Source: Satires (IV, 70)
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Those who do not wish to kill any one, wish they had the power.
[Lat., Et qui nolunt occidere quemquam
Posse volunt.]
Topic: Power
Source: Satires (X, 96)
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I will it, I order it, let my will stand for a reason.
[Lat., Hoc volo, sic jubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas.]
Topic: Reason
Source: Satires (VI, 223)
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Man, wretched man, whene'er he stoops to sin,
Feels, with the act, a strong remorse within.
Topic: Remorse
Source: Satires (satire XIII, l. 1), (William Gifford's translation)
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Revenge is sweeter than life itself. So think fools.
[Lat., At vindicta bonum vita jucundius ipsa nempe hoc indocti.]
Topic: Revenge
Source: Satires (XIII, 180)
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Revenge is always the weak pleasure of a little and narrow mind.
[Lat., Semper et infirmi est animi exiguique voluptas Ultio.]
Topic: Revenge
Source: Satires (XIII, 189)
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No one rejoices more in revenge than woman.
[Lat., Vindicta
Nemo magis gaudet quam foemina.]
Topic: Revenge
Source: Satires (XIII, 191)
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It is difficult not to write satire.
[Lat., Difficile est satiram non scribere.]
Topic: Satire
Source: Satires (I, 29)
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Satire is what closes Saturday night.
Topic: Satire
Source: Satires (I, 29)
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And there's a lust in man no charm can tame
Of loudly publishing our neighbour's shame;
On eagles' wings immortal scandals fly,
While virtuous actions are but borne to die.
Topic: Scandal
Source: Satires (IX), (Harvey's translation)
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And though you duck them ne'er so long,
Not one salt drop e'er wets their tongue;
On eagles' wings immortal scandals fly,
While virtuous actions are but borne to die.
Topic: Scandal
Source: Satires (IX), (Harvey's translation)
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Generally, common sense is rare in the (higher) rank.
[Lat., Rarus enim ferme sensus communis in illa
Fortuna.]
Topic: Sense
Source: Satires (VIII, 73)
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The tongue is the vile slave's vilest part.
[Lat., Lingua mali pars pessima servi.]
Topic: Tongue
Source: Satires (IX, 120)
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What is more cruel than a tyrant's ear?
[Lat., Quid violentius aure tyranni?]
Topic: Tyranny
Source: Satires (IV, 86)
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Every vice makes its guilt the more conspicuous in proportion to
the rank of the offender.
[Lat., Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se
Crimen habet, quanto major qui peccat habetur.]
Topic: Vice
Source: Satires (VIII, 140)
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Common sense among men of fortune is rare.
[Lat., Rarus enim ferme sunsus communis in illa
Fortuna.]
Topic: Wealth
Source: Satires (VIII, 73)
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He who wishes to become rich wishes to become so immediately.
[Lat., Dives fieri qui vult
Et cito vult fieri.]
Topic: Wealth
Source: Satires (XIV, 176)
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