Livy Quotes:

The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find yourself and your country both examples and warnings; fine things to take as models, base things rotten through and through, to avoid.

Topics: Country, Medicine, Sick

Men are slower to recognize blessings than evils.

source: - Livy (1949). “Livy”

Topics: Gratitude, Blessing, Men, My Blessing

Adversity makes men remember God.

source: - "Was the Governor of Tokyo Right -- Is God Punishing Japan?" by Mark Joseph, www.foxnews.com. March 29, 2011.

Topics: Adversity, Men, Remember

It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity.

Topics: Maturity, Long, Excellence

A fraudulent intent, however carefully concealed at the outset, will generally, in the end, betray itself.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XLIV, section 15,

Topics: Betrayal, Betrayed, Ends

From abundance springs satiety.

Topics: Spring, Abundance, Satiety

Shared danger is the strongest of bonds; it will keep men united in spite of mutual dislike and suspicion.

source: - Livy (1967). “The early history of Rome: Books I-V of The history of Rome from its foundation”

Topics: Men, Danger, Spite, Man United

An honor prudently declined often returns with increased luster.

Topics: Honor, Return, Luster

In adversity assume the countenance of prosperity, and in prosperity moderate the temper and desires.

Topics: Adversity, Desire, Assuming, Moderates

Men's minds are too ready to excuse guilt in themselves.

Topics: Trust, Betrayal, Men

Envy is blind. -Caeca invidia est

Topics: Envy, Blind

Envy like fire always makes for the highest points.

Topics: Fire, Envy

No wickedness proceeds on any grounds of reason.

Topics: Wickedness, Reason

Potius sero quam nunquam. Better late than never.

Topics: Time, Better Late Than Never

Valor is the soldier's adornment.

Topics: Military, Soldier, Valor

The less there is of fear, the less there is of danger.

Topics: Military, Danger

Events of great consequence often spring from trifling circumstances.

Topics: Time, Spring, Events, Trifling

Certain peace is better and safer than anticipated victory.

Topics: Peace, Victory, Harmony

The army from Asia introduced a foreign luxury to Rome; it was then the meals began to require more dishes and more expenditure . . . the cook, who had up to that time been employed as a slave of low price, become dear: what had been nothing but a metier was elevated to an art.

Topics: Art, Army, Rome

The real power behind whatever success I have now was something I found within myself - something that's in all of us, I think, a little piece of God just waiting to be discovered.

Topics: Success, Congratulations, Real, Real Power

Once let good faith be abandoned, and all social existence would perish.

Topics: Letting Go, Social, Abandoned, Good Faith

We survive on adversity and perish in ease and comfort.

Topics: Adversity, Comfort, Ease

No man likes to be surpassed by those of this own level.

Topics: Men, Envy, Levels

Envy, like fire, soars upward.

Topics: Fire, Envy, Soar

Persevere in virtue and diligence.

Topics: Perseverance, Persistence, Persevere

Thus, if there is anyone who is confident that he can advise me as to the best advantage of the state in this campaign which I am about to conduct, let him not refuse his services to the state, but come with me into Macedonia. I will furnish him with his sea-passage, with a horse, a tent, and even travel-funds. If anyone is reluctant to do this and prefers the leisure of the city to the hardships of campaigning, let him not steer the ship from on shore.

Topics: Horse, Sea, Cities, Macedonia, Campaigning

Friendships ought to be immortal, hostilities mortal.

Topics: Immortal, Hostility

Toil and pleasure, in their natures opposite, are yet linked together in a kind of necessary connection.

Topics: Opposites, Together, Toil

No law is quite appropriate for all.

Topics: Law

Dignity is a matter which concerns only mankind.

Topics: Matter, Dignity, Mankind

Adversity reminds men of religion.

Topics: Adversity, Men

The best known evil is the most tolerable.

Topics: Evil

Envy is blind, and she has no other quality than that of detracting from virtue

Topics: Inspirational, Envy, Quality

Nothing is so uncertain or unpredictable as the feelings of a crowd.

Topics: Feelings, Crowds, Uncertain

A woman's mind is affected by the meanest gifts.

Topics: Mind

He will have true glory who despises it.

source: - "History of Rome" by Livy, Book XXII, sec. 39,

Topics: Glory, Despise

Luck rules every human endeavor, especially war.

Topics: Peace, War, Luck

Such is the nature of crowds: either they are humble and servile or arrogant and dominating. They are incapable of making moderate use of freedom, which is the middle course, or of keeping it.

Topics: Humble, Use, Arrogant, Moderates

You know how to vanquish, Hannibal, but you do not know how to profit from victory.

Topics: Victory, Vanquish, Profit

There is an old saying which, from its truth, has become proverbial, that friendships should be immortal, enmities mortal.

Topics: Enmity, Should, Immortal

Nothing moves more quickly than scandal.

Topics: Moving, Scandal

Temerity is not always successful.

Topics: Successful

The troubles which have come upon us always seem more serious than those which are only threatening.

Topics: Serious, Trouble, Threatening

Treachery, though at first very cautious, in the end betrays itself.

Topics: Firsts, Ends, Betray, Treachery

Present sufferings seem far greater to men than those they merely dread.

Topics: Men, Suffering, Dread

The worst kind of shame is being ashamed of frugality or poverty.

Topics: Poverty, Kind, Shame

As soon as she (woman) begins to be ashamed of what she ought not, she will not be ashamed of what she ought.

Topics: Shame, Ashamed

It is easy at any moment to resign the possession of a great fortune; to acquire it is difficult and arduous

Topics: Wealth, Moments, Easy

Necessity is the last and strongest weapon

Topics: Weapons, Lasts, Strongest

Nothing stings us so bitterly as the loss of money

Topics: Money, Loss

A gentleman is mindful no less of the freedom of others than of his own dignity.

Topics: Gentleman, Dignity

In grave difficulties, and with little hope, the boldest measures are the safest.

Topics: Littles, Graves, Difficulty

Avarice and luxury, those evils which have been the ruin of every great state.

Topics: Luxury, Evil, Ruins

Men are only clever at shifting blame from their own shoulders to those of others.

Topics: Clever, Men, Shifting

Rome has grown since its humble beginnings that it is now overwhelmed by its own greatness.

Topics: Humble, Greatness, Rome, Humble Beginnings

There is nothing that is more often clothed in an attractive garb than a false creed.

source: - Sonya Hartnett (2011). “The Ghost's Child”, p.41, ReadHowYouWant.com

Topics: Attractive, Creeds

There is nothing man will not attempt when great enterprises hold out the promise of great rewards.

Topics: Men, Promise, Rewards, Great Reward

In difficult and desperate cases, the boldest counsels are the safest.

Topics: Desperate, Cases, Difficult

We can endure neither our vices nor their cure.

Topics: Vices, Cures, Endure

It is easier to criticize than to correct our past errors.

Topics: Past, Errors, Easier

This above all makes history useful and desirable; it unfolds before our eyes a glorious record of exemplary actions.

Topics: Eye, Records, Action, Desirable, Exemplary

There is nothing worse than being ashamed of parsimony or poverty.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXXIV, section 4,

Topics: Poverty, Parsimony, Ashamed

It is better that a guilty man should not be brought to trial than that he should be acquitted.

Topics: Men, Trials, Guilty

The result showed that fortune helps the brave.

source: - Terence (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Terence (Illustrated)”, p.266, Delphi Classics

Topics: Brave, Helping, Results

Truth, they say, is but too often in difficulties, but is never finally suppressed.

Topics: Difficulty

The mind sins, not the body; if there is no intention, there is no blame.

Topics: Mind, Body, Blame, Sins Not

All things will be clear and distinct to the man who does not hurry; haste is blind and improvident.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXII, section 39,

Topics: Men, Haste, Doe

Toil and pleasure, dissimilar in nature, are nevertheless united by a certain natural bond.

Topics: Ties, Toil, Pleasure

The populace is like the sea motionless in itself, but stirred by every wind, even the lightest breeze.

Topics: Wind, Sea, Breeze, Sea Breeze

False shame only is harmful.

Topics: Shame

Under the influence of fear, which always leads men to take a pessimistic view of things, they magnified their enemies' resources, and minimized their own.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXVII, section 44,

Topics: Men, Views, Enemy

Haste is blind and improvident.

Topics: Haste, Blind, Blindness

This was the Athenians' war against the King of Macedon, a war of words. Words are the only weapons the Athenians have left.

Topics: Kings, War, History, Athenians

Luck is of little moment to the great general, for it is under the control of his intellect and his judgment.

Topics: Luck, Littles, Judgment, Little Moments

Favor and honor sometimes fall more fitly on those who do not desire them.

Topics: Fall, Honor, Desire

I have often heard that the outstanding man is he who thinks deeply about a problem, and the next is he who listens carefully to advice.

Topics: Men, Thinking, Advice

Truth is often eclipsed but never extinguished.

source: - Livy (1834). “Livy”, p.56

Topics: Truth, Truth Is

A person under the firm persuasion that he can command resources virtually has them.

Topics: Leadership, Persuasion, Resources

Men are seldom blessed with good fortune and good sense at the same time.

source: - "Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations" by Jehiel Keeler Hoyt, "Annales", XXX. 42, (pp. 289-293), 1922.

Topics: Time, Blessed, Men

Greater is our terror of the unknown.

Topics: Terror

Many things complicated by nature are restored by reason.

Topics: Complicated, Reason

The sun has not yet set for all time.

Topics: Sun, All Time

No law can possibly meet the convenience of every one: we must be satisfied if it be beneficial on the whole and to the majority.

Topics: Law, Majority, Convenience

No law is sufficiently convenient to all.

Topics: Law

We feel public misfortunes just so far as they affect our private circumstances, and nothing of this nature appeals more directly to us than the loss of money.

Topics: Loss, Appeals, Circumstances

No crime can ever be defended on rational grounds.

Topics: Crime, Rational

The study of History is the best medicine for a sick mind.

Topics: Medicine, Sick, Historical

The old Romans all wished to have a king over them because they had not yet tasted the sweetness of freedom.

Topics: Kings, Sweetness

Resistance to criminal rashness comes better late than never.

Topics: Criminals, Resistance, Better Late Than Never, Rashness

Many difficulties which nature throws in our way, may be smoothed away by the exercise of intelligence.

Topics: Exercise, May, Way

There is always more spirit in attack than in defence.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXVIII, section 44,

Topics: Spirit, Defence

Passions are generally roused from great conflict.

Topics: Passion, Conflict

Nature has ordained that the man who is pleading his own cause before a large audience, will be more readily listened to than he who has no object in view other than the public benefit.

Topics: Men, Views, Benefits, Pleading

No one wants to be excelled by his relatives.

Topics: Want

The name of freedom regained is sweet to hear.

Topics: Sweet, Names

Men are least safe from what success induces them not to fear.

Topics: Fear, Men, Safe

Never is work without reward, or reward without work.

Topics: Rewards

He is truly a man who will not permit himself to be unduly elated when fortune's breeze is favorable, or cast down when it is adverse.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XLV, section 8,

Topics: Adversity, Men, Prosperity

It is when fortune is the most propitious that she is least to be trusted.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXX, section 30,

Topics: Trust, Fortune, Trusted

Envy, like flames, soars upwards.

source: - Livy (1833). “Livy”, p.52

Topics: Flames, Envy, Soar

Nothing hurts worse than the loss of money.

Topics: Hurt, Loss

Friends should be judged by their acts, not their words.

Topics: Should, Judged

Great contests generally excite great animosities.

source: - Livy (1855). “The History of Rome”, p.129

Topics: Contests, Contention, Animosity

Fortune blinds men when she does not wish them to withstand the violence of her onslaughts.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book V, section 37,

Topics: Men, Wish, Doe

Prosperity engenders sloth.

Topics: Sloth, Prosperity

Envy is blind, and is only clever in depreciating the virtues of others.

Topics: Clever, Envy, Blind

That business does not prosper which you transact with the eyes of others.

Topics: Eye, Doe

The most honorable, as well as the safest course, is to rely entirely upon valour.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXXIV, section 14,

Topics: Courage, Honorable, Wells, Valour

In war, mere appearances have had all the effect of realities; and that a person, under a firm persuasion that he can command resources, virtually has them; that very prospect inspiring him with hope and boldness in his exertions.

source: - "The History of Rome".

Topics: Leadership, Persuasion, Resources

Bad beginnings, bad endings.

Wit is the flower of the imagination.

Topics: Flower, Imagination, Wit

Better and safer is an assured peace than a victory hoped for. The one is in your own power, the other is in the hands of the gods.

source: - Livy, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Frank Gardner Moore, Evan Taylor Sage, Alfred Cary Schlesinger (1949). “Livy: Books XXVIII-XXX”

Topics: Peace, Hands, Victory

Those ills are easiest to bear with which we are most familiar.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXIII, section 3,

Topics: Endurance, Bears, Familiar

When Tarquin the Proud was asked what was the best mode of governing a conquered city, he replied only by beating down with his staff all the tallest poppies in his garden.

Topics: Garden, Government, Cities

War is just to those to whom war is necessary.

Topics: War

Nowhere are our calculations more frequently upset than in war.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXX, section 30,

Topics: War, Upset, Irrationality

...war is just to those for whom it is necessary, and arms are clear of impiety for those who have no hope left but in arms.

source: - Livy (1871). “The History of Rome”, p.600

Topics: War, Arms, No Hope

Woe to the conquered.

source: - Livy (2006). “The History of Rome”, p.394, Hackett Publishing

Topics: Woe, Defeat

Law is a thing which is insensible, and inexorable, more beneficial and more profitious to the weak than to the strong; it admits of no mitigation nor pardon, once you have overstepped its limits.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book II, section 3,

Topics: Strong, Law, Limits, Insensible

A certain peace is better and safer than a victory in prospect; the former is at your own disposal, the latter depends upon the gods.

source: - "The History of Rome".

Topics: Peace, Victory, Anti War

Good fortune and a good disposition are rarely given to the same man.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book XXX, section 42,

Topics: Men, Luck, Fortune

That sense – the only true patriotism – comes slowly and springs from the heart: it is founded upon respect for the family and love for the soil. Premature ‘liberty’ of this kind would have been a disaster: we should have been torn to pieces by petty squabbles before we had ever reached political maturity, which, as things were, as made possible by the long quiet years under monarchical government; for it was that government which, as it were, nursed our strength and enabled us ultimately to produce sound fruit from liberty, as only a politically adult nation can.

Topics: Spring, Heart, Maturity, Squabbles, Love And Family

There are laws for peace as well as war.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book V, section 27,

Topics: Peace, War, Law

Fame opportunely despised often comes back redoubled.

source: - "History of Rome". Book by Livy. Book II, section 47,

Topics: Glory, Fame, Despised

By flying, men often rush into the midst of calamities.

Topics: Men, Flying, Midst, Lying Men