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The poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power.

Sallust

Since we have received everything from the Gods, and it is right to pay the giver some tithe of his gifts, we pay such a tithe of possessions in votive offering, of bodies in gifts of (hair and) adornment, and of life in sacrifices.
SALLUST

Body Gift God Pay Possession Received Sacrifice
The man who is roused neither by glory nor by danger it is in vain to exhort; terror closes the ears of the mind.
SALLUST

Dangerous Glory Man Mindset Terror
We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve.
SALLUST

Body Employment Mindset Rule Serve
They envy the distinction I have won; let them therefore, envy my toils, my honesty, and the methods by which I gained it.
SALLUST

Jealous Method Myself Win
It is a law of human nature that in victory even the coward may boast of his prowess, while defeat injures the reputation even of the brave.
SALLUST

Brave Defeat Himself Human Law Nature Reputation Victory
Sovereignty is easily preserved by the very arts by which it was originally created. When, however, energy has given place to indifference, and temperance and justice to passion and arrogance, then as the morals change so changes fortune.
SALLUST

Arrogance Art Change Creation Easy Fortune Justice Original Place Preserve
In my own case, who have spent my whole life in the practice of virtue, right conduct from habitual has become natural.
SALLUST

Character Life Natural Practice Right Virtue
Advise well before you begin, and when you have maturely considered, then act with promptitude.
SALLUST

Act Advice Beginning Mature
The glory of ancestors sheds a light around posterity; it allows neither good nor bad qualities to remain in obscurity.
SALLUST

Ancestor Bad Glory Goodness Light Obscurity Quality
The firmest friendship is based on an identity of likes and dislikes.
SALLUST

Friendship Identity Nature
A good man prefers to suffer rather than overcome injustice with evil.
SALLUST

Evil Goodness Justice Man Preference
In my opinion it is less shameful for a king to be overcome by force of arms than by bribery.
SALLUST

Arms Bribe Force Opinion Shame
Most honorable are services rendered to the State; even if they do not go beyond words, they are not to be despised.
SALLUST

Beyond Despise Honor Service State Word
Of the cosmic Gods some make the world be, others animate it, others harmonize it, consisting as it does of different elements; the fourth class keep it when harmonized.
SALLUST

Animate Consist Cosmos God Harmony
No mortal man has ever served at the same time his passions and his best interests.
SALLUST

Best Interest Man Mortal Passion Serve Time
Greedy for the property of others, extravagant with his own
SALLUST

Himself Own Property

The poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power.

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The poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power.

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