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Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master.

Sallust

In victory even the cowardly like to boast, while in adverse times even the brave are discredited.
SALLUST

Brave Coward Credit Time Victory
The firmest friendship is based on an identity of likes and dislikes.
SALLUST

Friendship Identity Nature
There were few who preferred honor to money.
SALLUST

Honor Money Preference
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 to begin a war, but very difficult to stop one.
SALLUST

Beginning Difficult Easy Oneself Stop
A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means.
SALLUST

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

Bond Desire Friendship
Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit, and honesty.
SALLUST

Friendship Honesty Money Soldier
But at power or wealth, for the sake of which wars, and all kinds of strife, arise among mankind, we do not aim; we desire only our liberty, which no honorable man relinquishes but with his life.
SALLUST

Desire Himself Kind Liberty Life Man Power War Wealth
Harmony makes small things grow; lack of it makes great things decay.
SALLUST

Decay Deep Greatness Growth Harmony
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
Every bad precedent originated as a justifiable measure.
SALLUST

Bad Measurement Origin
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
Greedy for the property of others, extravagant with his own
SALLUST

Himself Own Property
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
We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve.
SALLUST

Body Employment Mindset Rule Serve
No grief reaches the dead.
SALLUST

Death Grief One Liner Reach
The renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession.
SALLUST

Beautiful Excellence Mental Possession Rich
For harmony makes small states great, while discord undermines the mightiest empires.
SALLUST

Empire Greatness Harmony Small State
The Romans assisted their allies and friends, and acquired friendships by giving rather than receiving kindness.
SALLUST

Assistance Friendship Kindness Receive Roman
One can ever assume to be what he is not, and to conceal what he is.
SALLUST

Assume Conceal Himself
Just to stir things up seemed a great reward in itself.
SALLUST

Greatness Reward
Prosperity tries the souls even of the wise.
SALLUST

Prosperity Soul Try Wisdom
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 glory of riches and of beauty is frail and transitory; virtue remains bright and eternal.
SALLUST

Beautiful Bright Forever Fragile Glory Rich
It is impossible that there should be so much providence in the last details, and none in the first principles. Then the arts of prophecy and of healing, which are part of the cosmos, come of the good providence of the Gods.
SALLUST

Cosmos Detail God Healing Impossible Principle
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

Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master.

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Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master.

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