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Before you act consider; when you have considered, tis fully time to act.

Sallust

All those who offer an opinion on any doubtful point should first clear their minds of every sentiment of dislike, friendship, anger or pity.
SALLUST

Angry Doubt Friendship Offering Opinion
For men who had easily endured hardship, danger and difficult uncertainty, leisure and riches, though in some ways desirable, proved burdensome and a source of grief.
SALLUST

Dangerous Desire Easy Endurance Men Source Way
Not by vows nor by womanish prayers is the help of the gods obtained; success comes through vigilance, energy, wise counsel.
SALLUST

Counsel Energy God Help Prayer Promise Success Vow Wisdom
One can ever assume to be what he is not, and to conceal what he is.
SALLUST

Assume Conceal Himself
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
It is always easy enough to take up arms, but very difficult to lay them down; the commencement and the termination of war are not necessarily in the same hands; even a coward may begin, but the end comes only when the victors are willing.
SALLUST

Coward Difficult Easy Enough Hands Necessary War Willing
But few prize honour more than money.
SALLUST

Honor Money Prize
By the wicked the good conduct of others is always dreaded.
SALLUST

Dread Goodness Wicked
The firmest friendship is based on an identity of likes and dislikes.
SALLUST

Friendship Identity Nature
Just to stir things up seemed a great reward in itself.
SALLUST

Greatness Reward
Every bad precedent originated as a justifiable measure.
SALLUST

Bad Measurement Origin
It is better to use fair means and fail, than foul and conquer.
SALLUST

Better Conquer Failure Right Rule Win
The Gods being good and making all things, there is no positive evil, it only comes by absence of good; just as darkness itself does not exist, but only comes about by absence of light.
SALLUST

Absence Darkness Existence God Goodness Light Positive
The higher your station, the less your liberty.
SALLUST

High Liberty Station Yourself
The fame which is based on wealth or beauty is a frail and fleeting thing; but virtue shines for ages with undiminished lustre.
SALLUST

Age Fame Luster Virtual Wealth
Small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord.
SALLUST

Community Discord Greatness Harmony Oneself Pieces Small
It is sweet to surve one country by deeds, and it is not absurd to surve her by words.
SALLUST

Country Herself Madness Sweet Word
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
Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit, and honesty.
SALLUST

Friendship Honesty Money Soldier
In battle it is the cowards who run the most risk; bravery is a rampart of defense.
SALLUST

Battle Brave Coward Defense Risk Run
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
The very life which we enjoy is short.
SALLUST

Enjoyment Life One Liner Short
Kings are more prone to mistrust the good than the bad; and they are always afraid of the virtues of others.
SALLUST

Afraid Bad Goodness Trust Virtue
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
Harmony makes small things grow; lack of it makes great things decay.
SALLUST

Decay Deep Greatness Growth Harmony
Those most moved to tears by every word of a preacher are generally weak and a rascal when the feelings evaporate.
SALLUST

Evaporate Feeling General Move Tears Weakness Word

Before you act consider; when you have considered, tis fully time to act.

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Before you act consider; when you have considered, tis fully time to act.

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Popular Authors

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