black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

A man who tries to surpass another may perhaps succeed in equaling in not actually surpassing him, but one who merely follows can never quite come up with him: a follower, necessarily, is always behind.

Quintilian

He who speaks evil only differs from his who does evil in that he lacks opportunity.
QUINTILIAN

Evil Himself Opportunity Talk
Forbidden pleasures alone are loved immoderately; when lawful, they do not excite desire.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Desire Excite Feeling Law
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
While we are examining into everything we sometimes find truth where we least expected it.
QUINTILIAN

Examination Expectation Time
While we ponder when to begin, it becomes too late to do.
QUINTILIAN

Action Beginning Late
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Lost Perfection Vanish
A liar should have a good memory.
QUINTILIAN

Goodness Lying Memory
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
That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.
QUINTILIAN

Admission Ear Easy Mindset Offend
Give bread to a stranger, in the name of the universal brotherhood which binds together all men under the common father of nature.
QUINTILIAN

Father Food Nature Poor Stranger Togetherness
Although virtue receives some of its excellencies from nature, yet it is perfected by education.
QUINTILIAN

Excellence Nature Perfection Virtue
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
Satiety is a neighbor to continued pleasures.
QUINTILIAN

Happiness Pleasure Satire
Conscience is a thousand witnesses.
QUINTILIAN

Conscience One Liner Perspective Spirituality
We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.
QUINTILIAN

Form Mindset Reading Wide
The mind is exercised by the variety and multiplicity of the subject matter, while the character is moulded by the contemplation of virtue and vice.
QUINTILIAN

Exercise Mindset Subject Vice Virtue

A man who tries to surpass another may perhaps succeed in equaling in not actually surpassing him, but one who merely follows can never quite come up with him: a follower, necessarily, is always behind.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

A man who tries to surpass another may perhaps succeed in equaling in not actually surpassing him, but one who merely follows can never quite come up with him: a follower, necessarily, is always behind.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Quintilian Quotes