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As the blessings of health and fortune have a beginning, so they must also find an end. Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay.

Sallust

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

Better Conquer Failure Right Rule Win
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
A good man prefers to suffer rather than overcome injustice with evil.
SALLUST

Evil Goodness Justice Man Preference
To have the same desires and the same aversion is assuredly a firm bond of friendship.
SALLUST

Bond Desire Friendship
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
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
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
Prosperity tries the souls even of the wise.
SALLUST

Prosperity Soul Try Wisdom
Deliberate before you begin; but, having carefully done so, execute with vigour.
SALLUST

Beginning Care Execution Zeal
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
The glory of wealth and of beauty is fleeting and frail; virtue is illustrious and everlasting.
SALLUST

Beautiful Glory Illustration Virtue Wealth
No man underestimates the wrongs he suffers; many take them more seriously than is right.
SALLUST

Himself Man Right Serious Suffering Wrong
Fortune rules in all things, and advances and depresses things more out of her own will than right and justice.
SALLUST

Depression Fortune Justice Rule Willing
Neither the army nor the treasury, but friends, are the true supports of the throne; for friends cannot be collected by force of arms, nor purchased with money; they are the offspring of kindness and sincerity.
SALLUST

Army Collection Force Kindness Kingdom Money Sincere Support Treasure True
Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit, and honesty.
SALLUST

Friendship Honesty Money Soldier
It is always easy to begin a war, but very difficult to stop one.
SALLUST

Beginning Difficult Easy Oneself Stop
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
Get good counsel before you begin; and when you have decided, act promptly.
SALLUST

Act Counsel Decision Goodness Prompt
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
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
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
By the wicked the good conduct of others is always dreaded.
SALLUST

Dread Goodness Wicked
Necessity makes even the timid brave.
SALLUST

Brave Circumstance Coward Necessary
But few prize honour more than money.
SALLUST

Honor Money Prize
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
Just to stir things up seemed a great reward in itself.
SALLUST

Greatness Reward
Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay.
SALLUST

Decay Fall Life Philosophy Rise

As the blessings of health and fortune have a beginning, so they must also find an end. Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay.

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As the blessings of health and fortune have a beginning, so they must also find an end. Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay.

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Popular Authors

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