Sallust Quotes

Harmony makes small things grow; lack of it makes great things decay.

All persons who are enthusiastic that they should transcend the other animals ought to strive with the utmost effort not to pass through a life of silence, like cattle, which nature has fashioned to be prone and obedient to their stomachs.

Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master.

Small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord.

The firmest friendship is based on an identity of likes and dislikes.

Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay.

Greedy for the property of others, extravagant with his own

They envy the distinction I have won; let them therefore, envy my toils, my honesty, and the methods by which I gained it.

All those who offer an opinion on any doubtful point should first clear their minds of every sentiment of dislike, friendship, anger or pity.

In my opinion it is less shameful for a king to be overcome by force of arms than by bribery.

A small state increases by concord; the greatest falls gradually to ruin by dissension.

Do as much as possible, and talk of yourself as little as possible

The renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession.

Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit, and honesty.

Since we have received everything from the Gods, and it is right to pay the giver some tithe of his gifts, we pay such a tithe of possessions in votive offering, of bodies in gifts of (hair and) adornment, and of life in sacrifices.

It is the nature of ambition to make men liars and cheats, to hide the truth in their breasts, and show, like jugglers, another thing in their mouths, to cut all friendships and enmities to the measure of their own interest, and to make a good countenance without the help of good will.

Necessity makes even the timid brave.

One can ever assume to be what he is not, and to conceal what he is.

It is always easy enough to take up arms, but very difficult to lay them down; the commencement and the termination of war are notnecessarily in the same hands; even a coward may begin, but the end comes only when the victors are willing.

While the body is young and fine, the soul blunders, but as the body grows old it attains its highest power. Again, every good soul uses mind; but no body can produce mind: for how should that which is without mind produce mind? Again, while the soul uses the body as an instrument, it is not in it; just as the engineer is not in his engines (although many engines move without being touched by any one).

But assuredly Fortune rules in all things; she raised to eminence or buries in oblivion everything from caprice rather than from well-regulated principle. [Lat., Sed profecto Fortuna in omni re dominatur; ea res cunctas ex lubidine magis, quam ex vero, celebrat, obscuratque.]

Each man the architect of his own fate.

It is better to use fair means and fail, than foul and conquer.

Kings are more prone to mistrust the good than the bad; and they are always afraid of the virtues of others.

A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means.

We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve.

In battle it is the cowards who run the most risk; bravery is a rampart of defense.

The Romans assisted their allies and friends, and acquired friendships by giving rather than receiving kindness. [Lat., Sociis atque amicis auxilia portabant Romani, magisque dandis quam accipiundis beneficiis amicitias parabant.]

To like and dislike the same things that is indeed true friendship.

Every bad precedent originated as a justifiable measure.

Those most moved to tears by every word of a preacher are generally weak and a rascal when the feelings evaporate.

It is always easy to begin a war, but very difficult to stop one.

Ambition breaks the ties of blood, and forgets the obligations of gratitude.

By union the smallest states thrive. By discord the greatest are destroyed.

It is not only spirits who punish the evil, the soul brings itself to judgment: and also it is not right for those who endure for ever to attain everything in a short time: and also, there is need of human virtue. If punishment followed instantly upon sin, men would act justly from fear and have no virtue.

Advise well before you begin, and when you have maturely considered, then act with promptitude.

Not by vows nor by womanish prayers is the help of the gods obtained; success comes through vigilance, energy, wise counsel.

Distinguished ancestors shed a powerful light on their descendants, and forbid the concealment either of their merits or of their demerits.

Fame is the shadow of passion standing in the light

No mortal man has ever served at the same time his passions and his best interests.

It is a law of human nature that in victory even the coward may boast of his prowess, while defeat injures the reputation even of the brave.

Ambition drove many men to become false; to have one thought locked in the breast, another ready on the tongue.

To desire the same things and to reject the same things, constitutes true friendship. [Lat., Idem velle et idem nolle ea demum firma amicitia est.]

Poor Britons, there is some good in them after all - they produced an oyster.

The soul sins therefore because, while aiming at good, it makes mistakes about the good, because it is not primary essence. And we see many things done by the Gods to prevent it from making mistakes and to heal it when it has made them. Arts and sciences, curses and prayers, sacrifices and initiations, laws and constitutions, judgments and punishments, all came into existence for the sake of preventing souls from sinning; and when they are gone forth from the body, Gods and spirits of purification cleanse them of their sins.

The poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power.

One may call the world a myth , in which bodies and things are visible, but souls and minds hidden. Besides, to wish to teach the whole truth about the Gods to all produces contempt in the foolish, because they cannot understand, and lack of zeal in the good, whereas to conceal the truth by myths prevents the contempt of the foolish, and compels the good to practice philosophy.

The fame which is based on wealth or beauty is a frail and fleeting thing; but virtue shines for ages with undiminished lustre.

No grief reaches the dead.

He that will be angry for anything will be angry for nothing.