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Among intellectual pursuits, one of the most useful is the recording of past events.

Sallust

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
By union the smallest states thrive. By discord the greatest are destroyed.
SALLUST

Destroy Greatness Small State Thrive
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
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
But few prize honour more than money.
SALLUST

Honor Money Prize
Poor Britons, there is some good in them after all – they produced an oyster.
SALLUST

Goodness Pearl Production
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
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 opinion it is less shameful for a king to be overcome by force of arms than by bribery.
SALLUST

Arms Bribe Force Opinion Shame
Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay.
SALLUST

Decay Fall Life Philosophy Rise
Get good counsel before you begin; and when you have decided, act promptly.
SALLUST

Act Counsel Decision Goodness Prompt
One can ever assume to be what he is not, and to conceal what he is.
SALLUST

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

Brave Coward Credit Time Victory
Enough words, little wisdom.
SALLUST

Enough Wisdom Word
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 poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power.
SALLUST

Man Poor Power Seek Useful

Among intellectual pursuits, one of the most useful is the recording of past events.

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Among intellectual pursuits, one of the most useful is the recording of past events.

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Popular Authors

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