Marcus Tullius Cicero Quotes

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Gratitude, Thankful, Parent, Virtues

Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Wisdom, Give, Wiser, Advice

When you have no basis for an argument, abuse the plaintiff.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

You, Abuse, Basis, Argument

If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains; if you pursue evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Away, Pursue, Passes, Remains

In doubtful cases the more liberal interpretation must always be preferred.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Interpretation, More, Always, Cases

Nothing is so unbelievable that oratory cannot make it acceptable.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nothing, Oratory, Acceptable, Unbelievable

Nothing is more unreliable than the populace, nothing more obscure than human intentions, nothing more deceptive than the whole electoral system.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Obscure, System, Populace, Deceptive

Advice in old age is foolish; for what can be more absurd than to increase our provisions for the road the nearer we approach to our journey's end.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Journey, Age, Advice, Absurd

Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Friendship, Joy, Dividing, Improves

Nature abhors annihilation.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nature, Abhors, Annihilation

In so far as the mind is stronger than the body, so are the ills contracted by the mind more severe than those contracted by the body.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Mind, Stronger, Far, Contracted

We forget our pleasures, we remember our sufferings.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Remember, Forget, Pleasures, Sufferings

So near is falsehood to truth that a wise man would do well not to trust himself on the narrow edge.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Trust, Wise Man, Falsehood, Narrow

Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Never, Moderation, Go, Excess

Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Idiot, Only, His, Error

Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Tell, How, Goats, Possesses

Laws should be interpreted in a liberal sense so that their intention may be preserved.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Laws, May, Preserved, Intention

The precepts of the law are these: to live honestly, to injure no one, and to give everyone else his due.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Law, Give, Everyone Else, Precepts

In everything truth surpasses the imitation and copy.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Truth, Copy, Everything, Imitation

I never heard of an old man forgetting where he had buried his money! Old people remember what interests them: the dates fixed for their lawsuits, and the names of their debtors and creditors.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Old Man, Buried, Had, Dates

What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state, than that of the man who instructs the rising generation?

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Generation, More, Rising, Employment

As fire when thrown into water is cooled down and put out, so also a false accusation when brought against a man of the purest and holiest character, boils over and is at once dissipated, and vanishes and threats of heaven and sea, himself standing unmoved.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Down, Against, Brought, Purest

Nature has planted in our minds an insatiable longing to see the truth.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Truth, Minds, See, Insatiable

Just as the soul fills the body, so God fills the world. Just as the soul bears the body, so God endures the world. Just as the soul sees but is not seen, so God sees but is not seen. Just as the soul feeds the body, so God gives food to the world.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Religion, Soul, Endures, Fills

He does not seem to me to be a free man who does not sometimes do nothing.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Sometimes, Nothing, Does, Free Man

The nobler a man, the harder it is for him to suspect inferiority in others.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Man, Inferiority, Harder, Suspect

Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Memory, Things, Treasury, All Things

Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Live, Eat, Thou

No obligation to do the impossible is binding.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Impossible, Obligation, Binding

According to the law of nature it is only fair that no one should become richer through damages and injuries suffered by another.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nature, Law, Through, Richer

Silence is one of the great arts of conversation.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Great, Silence, Arts, Conversation

This is the truth: as from a fire aflame thousands of sparks come forth, even so from the Creator an infinity of beings have life and to him return again.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Sparks, Again, Creator, Infinity

For a tear is quickly dried, especially when shed for the misfortunes of others.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Misfortunes, Shed, Tear, Dried

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Gardening, Library, Need, Garden

In a republic this rule ought to be observed: that the majority should not have the predominant power.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Republic, Rule, Predominant, Observed

It is the peculiar quality of a fool to perceive the faults of others and to forget his own.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Fool, Forget, His, Peculiar

Liberty consists in the power of doing that which is permitted by the law.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Law, Doing, Which, Permitted

What sweetness is left in life, if you take away friendship? Robbing life of friendship is like robbing the world of the sun. A true friend is more to be esteemed than kinsfolk.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Friendship, Away, Like, Esteemed

The pursuit, even of the best things, ought to be calm and tranquil.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Peace, Calm, Even, Tranquil

The spirit is the true self. The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Spirit, Will, Excel, True Self

Knowledge which is divorced from justice, may be called cunning rather than wisdom.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Knowledge, Cunning, Which, Divorced

Hatreds not vowed and concealed are to be feared more than those openly declared.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

More, Feared, Openly, Vowed

The sinews of war are infinite money.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Money, War, Infinite, Sinews

I never admire another's fortune so much that I became dissatisfied with my own.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Never, Fortune, Became, Dissatisfied

Rightly defined philosophy is simply the love of wisdom.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Love, Philosophy, Rightly, Defined

Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Weak, Most, Cause, Vehement

Take from a man his reputation for probity, and the more shrewd and clever he is, the more hated and mistrusted he becomes.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Reputation, More, Becomes, Probity

The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Good And Evil, Function, Discriminate

Any man is liable to err, only a fool persists in error.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Fool, Only, Err, Liable

Our character is not so much the product of race and heredity as of those circumstances by which nature forms our habits, by which we are nurtured and live.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Product, Habits, Which, Heredity

The authority of those who teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Learn, Teach, Authority, Obstacle

We are motivated by a keen desire for praise, and the better a man is the more he is inspired by glory. The very philosophers themselves, even in those books which they write in contempt of glory, inscribe their names.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Motivated, Very, Which, Philosophers

The harvest of old age is the recollection and abundance of blessing previously secured.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Harvest, Abundance, Old, Blessing

The magistrates are the ministers for the laws, the judges their interpreters, the rest of us are servants of the law, that we all may be free.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Law, Rest, Laws, Judges

Every man's reputation proceeds from those of his own household.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Reputation, Own, His, Proceeds

The best interpreter of the law is custom.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Best, Law, Custom, Interpreter

Natural ability without education has more often attained to glory and virtue than education without natural ability.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Education, Natural, More, Attained

As I approve of a youth that has something of the old man in him, so I am no less pleased with an old man that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule may be old in body, but can never be so in mind.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Age, Mind, May, Approve

If I err in belief that the souls of men are immortal, I gladly err, nor do I wish this error which gives me pleasure to be wrested from me while I live.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

I Wish, Which, Err, Gladly

True nobility is exempt from fear.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Fear, True, Nobility, Exempt

In honorable dealing you should consider what you intended, not what you said or thought.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Thought, Dealing, Intended, Honorable

Confidence is that feeling by which the mind embarks in great and honorable courses with a sure hope and trust in itself.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Trust, Mind, Which, Honorable

When you are aspiring to the highest place, it is honorable to reach the second or even the third rank.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Third, Aspiring, Highest, Honorable

What is permissible is not always honorable.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Always, Permissible, Honorable

It might be pardonable to refuse to defend some men, but to defend them negligently is nothing short of criminal.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Some, Defend, Refuse, Criminal

Nothing is so strongly fortified that it cannot be taken by money.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Money, Nothing, Strongly, Fortified

Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly. Nothing is so praiseworthy, nothing so clearly shows a great and noble soul, as clemency and readiness to forgive.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Forgiveness, Soul, Think, Praiseworthy

Brevity is the best recommendation of speech, whether in a senator or an orator.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Speech, Senator, Whether, Recommendation

What one has, one ought to use: and whatever he does he should do with all his might.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Use, His, Does, Ought

Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Mind, More, Faithfulness, Human Mind

The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Wisdom, More, Placed, Humbly

Brevity is a great charm of eloquence.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Great, Charm, Eloquence, Brevity

Never injure a friend, even in jest.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Friend, Never, Even, Injure

Nothing stands out so conspicuously, or remains so firmly fixed in the memory, as something which you have blundered.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Memory, Firmly, Which, Fixed

Great is the power of habit. It teaches us to bear fatigue and to despise wounds and pain.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Pain, Habit, Teaches, Fatigue

The rule of friendship means there should be mutual sympathy between them, each supplying what the other lacks and trying to benefit the other, always using friendly and sincere words.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Always, Other, Means, Between

Empire and liberty.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Liberty, Empire

All pain is either severe or slight, if slight, it is easily endured; if severe, it will without doubt be brief.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Pain, Brief, Either, Severe

Those wars are unjust which are undertaken without provocation. For only a war waged for revenge or defense can be just.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Revenge, Unjust, Which, Provocation

I add this, that rational ability without education has oftener raised man to glory and virtue, than education without natural ability.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Education, Natural, Add, Rational

It is foolish to tear one's hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Hair, Sympathy, Baldness, Grief

Love is the attempt to form a friendship inspired by beauty.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Love, Friendship, Form, Love Is

The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid by necessity and the brute by instinct.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Reason, Minds, Average, Instructed

Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Education, Mind, Necessary, Cultivation

No poet or orator has ever existed who believed there was any better than himself.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Better, Himself, Ever, Believed

It shows nobility to be willing to increase your debt to a man to whom you already owe much.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Shows, Nobility, Willing, Increase

Live as brave men; and if fortune is adverse, front its blows with brave hearts.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Veterans Day, Fortune, Blows, Front

We must conceive of this whole universe as one commonwealth of which both gods and men are members.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Gods, Which, Whole, Conceive

Peace is liberty in tranquillity.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Peace, Liberty, Tranquillity

One who sees the Supersoul accompanying the individual soul in all bodies and who understands that neither the soul nor the Supersoul is ever destroyed, actually sees.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Soul, Individual, Bodies, Understands

What an ugly beast the ape, and how like us.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Ugly, How, Like, Ape

He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Reason, Use, His, Employs

I criticize by creation - not by finding fault.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Finding, Criticize, Fault, Creation

The eyes like sentinel occupy the highest place in the body.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Like, Occupy, Highest, Sentinel

The countenance is the portrait of the soul, and the eyes mark its intentions.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Eyes, Soul, Intentions, Portrait

The false is nothing but an imitation of the true.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

True, Nothing, False, Imitation

What gift has providence bestowed on man that is so dear to him as his children?

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Children, Gift, His, Providence

Rather leave the crime of the guilty unpunished than condemn the innocent.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Guilty, Leave, Rather, Unpunished

Cannot people realize how large an income is thrift?

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

How, Income, Large, Realize

Great is our admiration of the orator who speaks with fluency and discretion.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Admiration, Discretion, Orator

We should not be so taken up in the search for truth, as to neglect the needful duties of active life; for it is only action that gives a true value and commendation to virtue.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Life, Search, Active, True Value

To know the laws is not to memorize their letter but to grasp their full force and meaning.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Meaning, Laws, Grasp, Letter

A letter does not blush.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Blush, Does, Letter

Hatred is inveterate anger.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Anger, Hatred, Inveterate

Of all nature's gifts to the human race, what is sweeter to a man than his children?

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Race, Sweeter, His, Human Race

The greatest pleasures are only narrowly separated from disgust.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Only, Pleasures, Narrowly, Separated

A tear dries quickly when it is shed for troubles of others.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Quickly, Shed, Troubles, Tear

Ability without honor is useless.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Honor, Ability, Without, Useless

No one has the right to be sorry for himself for a misfortune that strikes everyone.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Sorry, Everyone, Himself, Strikes

The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Glory, Difficulty, Greater

Freedom is a man's natural power of doing what he pleases, so far as he is not prevented by force or law.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Freedom, Law, Doing, Pleases

The long time to come when I shall not exist has more effect on me than this short present time, which nevertheless seems endless.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

More, Which, Nevertheless, Present

It is the nature of every person to error, but only the fool perseveres in error.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nature, Fool, Person, Error

Virtue is a habit of the mind, consistent with nature and moderation and reason.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Mind, Habit, Reason, Moderation

For how many things, which for our own sake we should never do, do we perform for the sake of our friends.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Never, How, Which, Sake

The enemy is within the gates; it is with our own luxury, our own folly, our own criminality that we have to contend.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Own, Within, Folly, Gates

Frivolity is inborn, conceit acquired by education.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Education, Conceit, Acquired, Frivolity

Justice consists in doing no injury to men; decency in giving them no offense.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Legal, Doing, Offense, Decency

Justice is the set and constant purpose which gives every man his due.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Constant, Set, Which, Gives

What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Freedom, Independence, Then, Wishes

Though silence is not necessarily an admission, it is not a denial, either.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Denial, Either, Though, Admission

True glory takes root, and even spreads; all false pretences, like flowers, fall to the ground; nor can any counterfeit last long.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Flowers, Last, Spreads, Root

Time destroys the speculation of men, but it confirms nature.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nature, Men, Speculation, Destroys

It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Great, Reflection, Speed, Muscle

Sweet is the memory of past troubles.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Memory, Past, Sweet, Troubles

Thrift is of great revenue.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Great, Revenue, Thrift

People do not understand what a great revenue economy is.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

People, Understand, Economy, Revenue

No sane man will dance.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Will, Sane, Sane Man, Dance

To some extent I liken slavery to death.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Death, Some, Extent, Slavery

O wretched man, wretched not just because of what you are, but also because you do not know how wretched you are!

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Just Because, Know, How, Wretched

Death is not natural for a state as it is for a human being, for whom death is not only necessary, but frequently even desirable.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Death, Natural, Human Being, Whom

More law, less justice.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Law, Legal, More, Less

Fear is not a lasting teacher of duty.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Fear, Teacher, Lasting, Duty

There is nothing so absurd that some philosopher has not already said it.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nothing, Some, Philosopher, Absurd

A man of courage is also full of faith.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Faith, Man, Also, Full

In everything, satiety closely follows the greatest pleasures.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Everything, Follows, Closely, Pleasures

The only excuse for war is that we may live in peace unharmed.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Peace, Only, May, Excuse

To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Always, Before, Occurred, Ignorant

I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

I Am, Ashamed, Confess, Ignorant

I prefer tongue-tied knowledge to ignorant loquacity.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Knowledge, Prefer, Ignorant

Old age: the crown of life, our play's last act.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Play, Act, Last, Crown

The safety of the people shall be the highest law.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Safety, Law, Legal, Highest

An unjust peace is better than a just war.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Peace, War, Better, Unjust

The study and knowledge of the universe would somehow be lame and defective were no practical results to follow.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Study, Practical, Would, Results

Freedom is a possession of inestimable value.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Freedom, Value, Inestimable, Possession

Glory follows virtue as if it were its shadow.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Shadow, Follows, Were, Virtue

Honor is the reward of virtue.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Honor, Reward, Virtue

Not cohabitation but consensus constitutes marriage.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Marriage, Consensus

A man's own manner and character is what most becomes him.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Character, Own, Most, Manner

The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Death, Memory, Living, Placed

Before beginning, plan carefully.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Beginning, Before, Carefully, Plan

A room without books is like a body without a soul.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Soul, Like, Books, Room

The good of the people is the greatest law.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Good, Law, People, Greatest

No one was ever great without some portion of divine inspiration.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Some, Portion, Ever, Inspiration

Hatred is settled anger.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Anger, Settled, Hatred

A friend is, as it were, a second self.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Friendship, Self, Were, Friend

Whatever you do, do with all your might.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

You, Might, Your, Whatever

That last day does not bring extinction to us, but change of place.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Change, Last, Does, Extinction

Laws are silent in time of war.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Time, War, Laws, Silent

In time of war the laws are silent.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Time, War, Laws, Silent

If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Think, Say, Should, Ashamed

A home without books is a body without soul.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Home, Soul, Body, Books

Like associates with like.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Like, Associates

There are more men ennobled by study than by nature.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nature, Men, More, Study

No one can give you better advice than yourself.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Better, Give, Than, Advice

While there's life, there's hope.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Life, Hope, While

You will be as much value to others as you have been to yourself.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Yourself, Will, Been, Value

What is thine is mine, and all mine is thine.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Thine, Mine

Rashness belongs to youth; prudence to old age.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Old Age, Old, Prudence, Belongs

In a disordered mind, as in a disordered body, soundness of health is impossible.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Health, Mind, Body, Impossible

Next to God we are nothing. To God we are Everything.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

God, Nothing, Everything, Next

To live is to think.

- Marcus Tullius Cicero

Live, Think, Life

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