Quintus Ennius Quotes

He whose wisdom cannot help him, gets no good from being wise.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Goodness Help Himself Wisdom
One man restored our fortunes by delay. [By skilfully avoiding an engagement, Fabius exhausted the resources of the enemy.]
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Avoid Enemy Engagement Man Resource Restore Skill
A sure friend is known in unsure circumstances.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Circumstance Friendship
One man by delay restored the state, for he preferred the public safety to idle report.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Man Report Safety State
Whom men fear they hate, and whom they hate, they wish dead.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Death Fear Hate Man
One man by delaying saved the state for us.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Delay Man Oneself
That is true liberty, which bears a pure and firm breast.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Liberty One Liner Purity True
A true friend is a friend when in difficulty.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Difficult Friendship One Liner True
No one regards what is before his feet; we all gaze at the stars.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Feet Inspirational Sight Stars
The victor is not victorious if the vanquished does not consider himself so
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Himself Victory
To open his lips is crime in a plain citizen.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Citizenship Crime Lips
The Roman state stands by ancient customs, and its manhood.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Ancient Custom Man State
A true friend is distinguished in the crisis of hazard and necessity; when the gallantry of his aid may show the worth of his soul and the loyalty of his heart.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Friendship Himself Loyalty Necessary Soul Worth
Ennius was the father of Roman poetry, because he first introduced into Latin the Greek manner and in particular the hexameter metre.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Father Himself Introduction Poetry
Don’t ask of your friends what you yourself can do.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Friendship Yourself
They hate whom they fear.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Fear Hate
Let no one pay me honor with tears, nor celebrate my funeral rites with weeping.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Celebration Cry Honor Pay Tears
Let no one honour me with tears, or bury me with lamentation. Why? Because I fly hither and thither, living in the mouths of me. [Lat., Nemo me lacrymis decoret, nec funera fletu. Faxit cur? Volito vivu’ per ora virum.]
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Bury Honor Live Myself Tears
He hath freedom whoso beareth a clean and constant heart within.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Cleaning Freedom Heart
Let no one weep for me, or celebrate my funeral with mourning; for I still live, as I pass to and fro through the mouths of men.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Celebration Cry Funeral Man Mourning Myself
He who has two languages has two souls.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Himself Language Soul
Here is he laid to whom for daring deed, nor friend nor foe could render worthy meed.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Dare Himself Worth
The ape, vilest of beasts, how like to us.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Animal Beast Similarity
The wise man is wise in vain who cannot be wise to his own advantage.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Advantage Man Wisdom
I never indulge in rhyme or stanza Unless I’m in bed with the influenza.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Bed Myself Rhyme
He who civilly shows the way to one who has missed it, is as one who has lighted another’s lamp from his own lamp; it none the less gives light to himself when it burns for the other.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Burn Light Miss Oneself Way
The idle mind knows not what it wants.
QUINTUS ENNIUS

Known Mindset

Other Famous Personalities