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Be content to be what you are, and prefer nothing to it, and do not fear or wish for your last day.

Martial

While an ant was wandering under the shade of the tree of Phaeton, a drop of amber enveloped the tiny insect; thus she, who in life was disregarded, became precious by death.
MARTIAL

Ant Death Life Precious Shade Value
You praise, in three hundred verses, Sabellus, the baths of Ponticus, who gives such excellent dinners. You wish to dine, Sabellus, not to bathe.
MARTIAL

Excellence Praise Verse Yourself
Genuine is the sorrow endured without anyone else knowing about it.
MARTIAL

Endurance Genuine Known Sorrow
Man loves malice, but not against one-eyed men nor the unfortunate, but against the fortunate and proud.
MARTIAL

Eyes Love Man Proud Unfortunate
Spare the person but lash the vice.
MARTIAL

One Liner Person Vice
If fame comes after death, I’m in no hurry for it.
MARTIAL

Death Fame Hurry Myself
It is not, believe me, the act of a wise man to say, “I will live.” To-morrow’s life is too late; live to-day.
MARTIAL

Believe Day Man Myself Wisdom
I am a shell-fish just come from being saturated with the waters of the Lucrine lake, near Baiae; but now I luxuriously thrust for noble pickle.
MARTIAL

Lake Luxury Myself Water
I do not love thee, Sabidius, nor can I say why; I can only say this, “I do not love thee.”
MARTIAL

Love Myself
You may envy every one, but no one envies you.
MARTIAL

Envy Jealous Yourself
In adversity it is easy to despise life; he is truly brave who can endure a wretched life.
MARTIAL

Adversity Brave Himself Life True
Rarity gives a charm; so early fruits and winter roses are the most prized; and coyness sets off an extravagant mistress, while the door always open tempts no suitor.
MARTIAL

Charm Prize Rare Suit
They let out on hire their passions and eloquence. [Referring to lawyers.]
MARTIAL

Elegant Hire Passion
To-morrow I will live, the fool does say; To-day itself’s too late, the wise lived yesterday.
MARTIAL

Fools Future Past Wisdom
Nothing is more ill-timed than an ill-timed laugh.
MARTIAL

Laughter Time
Gifts are like hooks.
MARTIAL

Gift One Liner
Too late is tomorrow’s life; live for today.
MARTIAL

Day Life Present
It is feeling and force of imagination that make us eloquent.
MARTIAL

Elegant Feeling Force Imagination Ourselves
Of no day can the retrospect cause pain to a good man.
MARTIAL

Day Goodness Man Pain
In adversity it is easy to despise life; he is truly brave who can endure a wreched life.
MARTIAL

Adversity Brave Easy Endurance Life True
You’ll get no laurel crown for outrunning a burrow.
MARTIAL

Run Yourself
What’s a wretched man? A man whom no man pleases.
MARTIAL

Man Please Satisfaction
This I ask, is it not madness to kill thyself in order to escape death?
MARTIAL

Death Escape Kill Madness Order
Glory comes too late when we are nought but ashes.
MARTIAL

Ash Glory Late
I believe that man to be wretched whom none can please.
MARTIAL

Believe Man Myself Please
It is folly to waste labour about trifles.
MARTIAL

Fools Labour Wasted
I’m what I seem; not any dyer gave, But nature dyed this colour that I have.
MARTIAL

Color Myself Natural

Be content to be what you are, and prefer nothing to it, and do not fear or wish for your last day.

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Be content to be what you are, and prefer nothing to it, and do not fear or wish for your last day.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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