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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

While we are examining into everything we sometimes find truth where we least expected it.
QUINTILIAN

Examination Expectation Time
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

Equality Follow Himself Man Quite Success
Conscience is a thousand witnesses.
QUINTILIAN

Conscience One Liner Perspective Spirituality
We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.
QUINTILIAN

Difficult Excuse Ourselves
Fear of the future is worse than one’s present fortune.
QUINTILIAN

Fear Fortune Future Present
(Slaughter) means blood and iron.
QUINTILIAN

Blood Death Iron
Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Fools Virtue Wisdom
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
It seldom happens that a premature shoot of genius ever arrives at maturity.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Genius Maturity
Those who wish to appear learned to fools, appear as fools to the learned.
QUINTILIAN

Appearance Fools Learning
Whilst we deliberate how to begin a thing, it grows too late to begin it.
QUINTILIAN

Beginning Deliberate Growth
Medicine for the dead is too late.
QUINTILIAN

Death Medicine One Liner
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
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
Virtue, though she gets her beginning from nature, yet receives her finishing touches from learning.
QUINTILIAN

Beginning Herself Learning Nature Touch Virtue
Everything that has a beginning comes to an end.
QUINTILIAN

Advice Beginning End Proverb

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.

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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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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