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Nothing is more dangerous to men than a sudden change of fortune.

Quintilian

For it would have been better that man should have been born dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor.
QUINTILIAN

Better Born Destruction Dumb Man Neighbor Reason
That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.
QUINTILIAN

Admission Ear Easy Mindset Offend
Nature herself has never attempted to effect great changes rapidly.
QUINTILIAN

Change Greatness Nature
Suffering itself does less afflict the senses than the apprehension of suffering.
QUINTILIAN

Afflict Sense Suffering
The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression.
QUINTILIAN

Admission Creation Excellence Impression Pretend
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
By writing quickly we are not brought to write well, but by writing well we are brought to write quickly.
QUINTILIAN

Difference Literature Poet Writing
Too exact, and studious of similitude rather than of beauty.
QUINTILIAN

Beautiful Exact Similar
Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.
QUINTILIAN

Gift Natural Rule Technical
Ambition is a vice, but it may be the father of virtue.
QUINTILIAN

Ambition Father Vice Virtue
For comic writers charge Socrates with making the worse appear the better reason.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Better Comic Reason Worst Writing
A great part of art consists in imitation. For the whole conduct of life is based on this: that what we admire in others we want to do ourselves.
QUINTILIAN

Admire Art Consist Greatness Life Ourselves
While we ponder when to begin, it becomes too late to do.
QUINTILIAN

Action Beginning Late
A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue.
QUINTILIAN

Cost Expense Laughter Virtue
The perfection of art is to conceal art.
QUINTILIAN

Art Hide Perfection
To swear, except when necessary, is becoming to an honorable man.
QUINTILIAN

Exception Honor Man Necessary

Nothing is more dangerous to men than a sudden change of fortune.

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Nothing is more dangerous to men than a sudden change of fortune.

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