black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

Deliberate before you begin; but, having carefully done so, execute with vigour.

Sallust

Everything destroyed is either resolved into the elements from which it came, or else vanishes into not-being. If things are resolved into the elements from which they came, then there will be others: else how did they come into being at all?
SALLUST

Destroy Element Existence
The glory of wealth and of beauty is fleeting and frail; virtue is illustrious and everlasting.
SALLUST

Beautiful Glory Illustration Virtue Wealth
But assuredly Fortune rules in all things; she raised to eminence or buries in oblivion everything from caprice rather than from well-regulated principle.
SALLUST

Assurance Bury Fate Fortune Principle Raise Rule
Before you act consider; when you have considered, tis fully time to act.
SALLUST

Act Action Consider Time Yourself
One can ever assume to be what he is not, and to conceal what he is.
SALLUST

Assume Conceal Himself
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
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
When the prizes fall to the lot of the wicked, you will not find many who are virtuous for virtue’s sake.
SALLUST

Fall Finding Prize Virtue Yourself
But few prize honour more than money.
SALLUST

Honor Money Prize
Harmony makes small things grow; lack of it makes great things decay.
SALLUST

Decay Deep Greatness Growth Harmony
Fame is the shadow of passion standing in the light.
SALLUST

Fame Light Passion Shadow Stand
A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means.
SALLUST

Defeat Goodness Justice Man
Distinguished ancestors shed a powerful light on their descendants, and forbid the concealment either of their merits or of their demerits.
SALLUST

Advice Ancestor Help Light Powerful
All who consult on doubtful matters, should be void of hatred, friendship, anger, and pity.
SALLUST

Angry Doubt Friendship Hate Pity
Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay.
SALLUST

Decay Fall Life Philosophy Rise
To desire the same things and to reject the same things, constitutes true friendship.
SALLUST

Desire Friendship Reject
The higher your station, the less your liberty.
SALLUST

High Liberty Station Yourself
Do as much as possible, and talk of yourself as little as possible.
SALLUST

Hard Work Modesty Possible Talk Yourself
The very life which we enjoy is short.
SALLUST

Enjoyment Life One Liner Short
Enough words, little wisdom.
SALLUST

Enough Wisdom Word
The glory of riches and of beauty is frail and transitory; virtue remains bright and eternal.
SALLUST

Beautiful Bright Forever Fragile Glory Rich
A good man prefers to suffer rather than overcome injustice with evil.
SALLUST

Evil Goodness Justice Man Preference
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
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
In my opinion, he only may be truly said to live and enjoy his being who is engaged in some laudable pursuit, and acquires a name by some illustrious action, or useful art.
SALLUST

Action Enjoyment Illustration Live Myself Name Opinion Pursuit True
The fame that goes with wealth and beauty is fleeting and fragile; intellectual superiority is a possession glorious and eternal.
SALLUST

Beautiful Fame Forever Glory Intellectual Possession Wealth
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

Deliberate before you begin; but, having carefully done so, execute with vigour.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

Deliberate before you begin; but, having carefully done so, execute with vigour.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Sallust Quotes