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When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield.

Quintilian

Men of quality are in the wrong to undervalue, as they often do, the practise of a fair and quick hand in writing; for it is no immaterial accomplishment.
QUINTILIAN

Accomplishment Man Quality Value Wrong
We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.
QUINTILIAN

Form Mindset Reading Wide
A liar must have a good memory.
QUINTILIAN

Goodness Lying Memories
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
The learned understand the reason of art; the unlearned feel the pleasure.
QUINTILIAN

Art Feeling Learning Pleasure Reason Understand
Sayings designed to raise a laugh are generally untrue and never complimentary. Laughter is never far removed from derision.
QUINTILIAN

Complimentary Design Laughter Raise
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Lost Perfection Vanish
Fear of the future is worse than one’s present fortune.
QUINTILIAN

Fear Fortune Future Present
Suffering itself does less afflict the senses than the apprehension of suffering.
QUINTILIAN

Afflict Sense Suffering
Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.
QUINTILIAN

Gift Natural Rule Technical
One should aim not at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.
QUINTILIAN

Goal Perspective Possible
Usage is the best language teacher.
QUINTILIAN

Language One Liner Teacher
We should not speak so that it is possible for the audience to understand us, but so that it is impossible for them to misunderstand us.
QUINTILIAN

Impossible Misunderstand Possible Talk Understand
(Slaughter) means blood and iron.
QUINTILIAN

Blood Death Iron
Virtue, though she gets her beginning from nature, yet receives her finishing touches from learning.
QUINTILIAN

Beginning Herself Learning Nature Touch Virtue
Nothing can be pleasing which is not also becoming.
QUINTILIAN

Deep Please

When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield.

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When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield.

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