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

Sallust

It is impossible that there should be so much providence in the last details, and none in the first principles. Then the arts of prophecy and of healing, which are part of the cosmos, come of the good providence of the Gods.
SALLUST

Cosmos Detail God Healing Impossible Principle
Harmony makes small things grow; lack of it makes great things decay.
SALLUST

Decay Deep Greatness Growth Harmony
As the blessings of health and fortune have a beginning, so they must also find an end. Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay.
SALLUST

Beginning Blessing Decay Fortune Health
By the wicked the good conduct of others is always dreaded.
SALLUST

Dread Goodness Wicked
Deliberate before you begin; but, having carefully done so, execute with vigour.
SALLUST

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

Advice Ancestor Help Light Powerful
It is sweet to surve one country by deeds, and it is not absurd to surve her by words.
SALLUST

Country Herself Madness Sweet Word
We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve.
SALLUST

Body Employment Mindset Rule Serve
It is always easy enough to take up arms, but very difficult to lay them down; the commencement and the termination of war are not necessarily in the same hands; even a coward may begin, but the end comes only when the victors are willing.
SALLUST

Coward Difficult Easy Enough Hands Necessary War Willing
When the prizes fall to the lot of the wicked, you will not find many who are virtuous for virtue’s sake.
SALLUST

Fall Finding Prize Virtue Yourself
It is better to use fair means and fail, than foul and conquer.
SALLUST

Better Conquer Failure Right Rule Win
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.
SALLUST

Body Gift God Pay Possession Received Sacrifice
Fortune rules in all things, and advances and depresses things more out of her own will than right and justice.
SALLUST

Depression Fortune Justice Rule Willing
In battle it is the cowards who run the most risk; bravery is a rampart of defense.
SALLUST

Battle Brave Coward Defense Risk Run
To desire the same things and to reject the same things, constitutes true friendship.
SALLUST

Desire Friendship Reject
Necessity makes even the timid brave.
SALLUST

Brave Circumstance Coward Necessary

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

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

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