black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

Though ambition in itself is a vice, yet it is often the parent of virtues.

Quintilian

There is no one who would not rather appear to know than to be taught.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Teaching
An evil-speaker differs from an evil-doer only in the want of opportunity.
QUINTILIAN

Difference Evil Opportunity
A Woman who is generous with her money is to be praised; not so, if she is generous with her person.
QUINTILIAN

Generosity Herself Money Person Woman
When we cannot hope to win, it is an advantage to yield.
QUINTILIAN

Advantage Hope Protection Win
That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.
QUINTILIAN

Admission Ear Easy Mindset Offend
For comic writers charge Socrates with making the worse appear the better reason.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Better Comic Reason Worst Writing
Usage is the best language teacher.
QUINTILIAN

Language One Liner Teacher
Forbidden pleasures alone are loved immoderately; when lawful, they do not excite desire.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Desire Excite Feeling Law
One should aim not at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.
QUINTILIAN

Goal Perspective Possible
Nothing can be pleasing which is not also becoming.
QUINTILIAN

Deep Please
One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.
QUINTILIAN

Assistance Capacity Natural Rule
The soul languishing in obscurity contracts a kind of rust, or abandons itself to the chimera of presumption; for it is natural for it to acquire something, even when separated from any one.
QUINTILIAN

Kind Natural Oneself Separate Soul
The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression.
QUINTILIAN

Admission Creation Excellence Impression Pretend
Those who wish to appear learned to fools, appear as fools to the learned.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Fools Learning
A liar must have a good memory.
QUINTILIAN

Goodness Lying Memories
To my mind the boy who gives least promise is one in whom the critical faculty develops in advance of the imagination.
QUINTILIAN

Criticism Development Imagination Mindset Promise

Though ambition in itself is a vice, yet it is often the parent of virtues.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

Though ambition in itself is a vice, yet it is often the parent of virtues.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Quintilian Quotes