Cato the Younger Quotes

I would not be beholden to a tyrant, for his acts of tyranny.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Act Behold Freedom Men Tyrant
A honest man is seldom a vagrant.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Honest Men Seldom Vagrant
I know not what treason is, if sapping and betraying the liberties of a people be not treason.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Betraying Liberty People Sapping Treason
The best way to keep good acts in memory is to refresh them with new.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Act Best Charity Keep Memories New Refresh Way
For it is but usurpation in him to save, as their rightful lord, the lives of men over whom he has no title to reign.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Lord Men Over Reign Rightful Save Title Usurpation
Art, and Industry, as far as by it he hurts not the Society, or any Members of it, by taking from any Member, or by hindering him from enjoying what he himself enjoys.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Art Enjoy Himself Hunt Liberty Member Society Take Understand
Blessed be they as virtuous, who when they feel their virile members swollen with lust, visit a brothel rather than grind at some husband’s private mill.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Blessed Feel Husband Lust Member Swollen Virtuous
Regard not dreams, since they are but the images of our hopes and fears.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Dream Fear Hope Image Regard Since
The cabbage surpasses all other vegetables. If, at a banquet, you wish to dine a lot and enjoy your dinner, then eat as much cabbage as you wish, seasoned with vinegar, before dinner, and likewise after dinner eat some half-dozen leaves.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Banquet Carbage Dine Dinner Eat Enjoy Half Lot Other Surpasses Vegetable Vegetables Wish
Don’t promise twice what you can do at once.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Do Once Promise Twice
Wise men are more dependent on fools than fools on wise men.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Dependent Fool Men Wisdom Wise
Never travel by sea when you can go by land.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Land never Sea Travel
The primary virtue is: hold your tongue; who knows how to keep quiet is close to God.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Close God Hold Principle Quiet Silence Tongue
The Fruits of a Man’s honest Industry are the just Rewards of it, ascertained to him by natural and eternal Equity, as is his Title to use them in the Manner which he thinks fit: And thus, with the above Limitations, every Man is sole Lord and Arbitrer of his own private Actions and Property.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Arbiter Ascertain Equality Every Fruit Honest Limitation Man Manner Reward
Good-breeding is the art of showing men, by external signs, the internal regard we have for them. It arises from good sense, improved by conversing with good company.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Art Breed Company Converse External Good Internal Men Regard Show Sign
It is remarkable that men, when they differ in what they think considerable, will be apt to differ in almost everything else; their difference begets contradiction; contradiction begets heat; heat quickly rises into resentment, rage, and ill-will; thus they differ in affections, as they differ in judgment.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Almost Considerable Differ Difference Differences Else Everything Men Often Remarkable Thinking
Should anyone attempt to deceive you by false expressions, and not be a true friend at heart, act in the same manner, and thus art will defeat art. [If you would catch a man let him think he is catching you.]
CATO THE YOUNGER

Act Anyone Art Attempt Defeat Expression Friend Heart Manner Sam Think True
In conversation avoid the extremes of forwardness and reserve.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Conversation Extremes Forwardness Reserve
Since it has such a remembrance of the best, such a concern for the future, since it is enriched with so many arts, sciences, and discoveries, it is impossible but the being which contains all these must be immortal.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Art Best Concern Discover Enrich Future Many Remembrance Since Immortal
By Liberty I understand the Power which every Man has over his own Actions, and his Right to enjoy the Fruits of his Labour,
CATO THE YOUNGER

Action Art Enjoy Ever Fruit Hurt Labour Liberty Men Own Power Right Understand
To say that private men have nothing to do with government is to say that private men have nothing to do with their own happiness or misery; that people ought not to concern themselves whether they be naked or clothed, fed or starved, deceived or instructed, protected or destroyed.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Concern Deceive Government Happiness Instruction Men Naked Nothing Private Strive Themselves
Consider it the greatest of all virtues to restrain the tongue.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Greatest Restrain Tongue Virtue
It will make you feel as if you had not eaten, and you can drink as much as you like.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Drink Eaten Feel Like Make Much
In doing nothing men learn to do evil.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Doing Evil Learn Men Nothing
Speak briefly and to the point.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Brief Pont Speak Speech
I will begin to speak, when I have that to say which had not better be unsaid.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Better Say Share Speak Unsaid Will
Those magistrates who can prevent crime, and do not, in effect encourage it.
CATO THE YOUNGER

Crime Effect Encourage Magistrate Prevent

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