1st century BC

Explore 149 quotes from the 1st century BC

Mix a little foolishness with your prudence:
It's good to be silly at the right moment.

Horace

Odes

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Topic

Cutting loose Having fun Timing

Author

Horace

Source

Odes

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Latin

Time

11 BC 10s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Carmina [Odes]. 23 BC, bk. 4, no. 12.

Current Citation

Horace. "Odes." The Complete Odes and Epodes, translated by David West. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 4, no. 12.

The snows have fled, now grass returns to the fields and leaves to the trees.

Horace

Odes

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Topic

Spring Seasons

Author

Horace

Source

Odes

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

11 BC 10s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Carmina [Odes]. 23 BC, bk. 4, no. 7.

Current Citation

Horace. "Odes." The Complete Odes and Epodes, translated by David West. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 4, no. 7.

He who has begun has half done. Dare to be wise; begin!

Horace

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Topic

Getting started

Author

Horace

Source

Epistles 1

Medium

Letter

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Latin

Time

20 BC 20s 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Epistularum liber primus [First Book of Letters]. 20 BC, bk. 1, epistle 2.

Current Citation

Horace. "Epistles." Satires and Epistles, translated by John Davie. Oxford University Press, 2011, bk. 1, epistle 2.

And seek for truth in the groves of Academe.

Horace

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Topic

Seeking the truth Truth Learning Education

Author

Horace

Source

Epistles 2

Medium

Letter

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Latin

Time

14 BC 10s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Epistularum liber secundus [Second Book of Letters]. 14 BC, bk. 2, epistle 2.

Current Citation

Horace. "Epistles." Satires and Epistles, translated by John Davie. Oxford University Press, 2011, bk. 2, epistle 2.

As men, we are all equal in the presence of death.

Publilius Syrus

Sententiae

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Topic

Death as equalizer Death

Author

Publilius Syrus

Source

Sententiae

Medium

Epigram

Language

Latin

Time

43 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Publilius Syrus. Sententiae. c. 1st century BC.

I sing of arms and the man who first from the shores of Troy came destined an exile to Italy and the Lavinian beaches, a man much buffeted on land and on the deep by force of the gods because of fierce Juno's never-forgetting anger.

Virgil

Aeneid

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Author

Virgil

Source

Aeneid

Medium

Poem

Genre

Epic poem

Statement Type

Opening lines

Language

Latin

Time

19 BC 10s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Virgil. Aenē̆is [Aeneid]. 19 BC, bk. 1.

Current Citation

Virgil. The Aeneid, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2010, bk. 1.

Do not try to find out-we're forbidden to know-what end the gods may bestow on me or you.

Horace

Odes

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Topic

Fate God and man

Author

Horace

Source

Odes

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Latin

Time

23 BC 20s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Carmina [Odes]. 23 BC, bk. 1, no. 11.

Current Citation

Horace. "Odes." The Complete Odes and Epodes, translated by David West. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, no. 11.

In a short while the generations of living creatures are changed, and like runners relay the torch of life.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Circle of life Life and death Change

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

50 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 2, l. 75.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 2, l. 75.

Thrice blessed (and more) are they whom an unbroken bond holds and whose love, never strained by nasty quarrels, will not slip until their dying day.

Horace

Odes

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Topic

Love Hashtag blessed Relationships

Author

Horace

Source

Odes

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

23 BC 20s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Carmina [Odes]. 23 BC, bk. 1, no. 13.

Current Citation

Horace. "Odes." The Complete Odes and Epodes, translated by David West. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, no. 13.

I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.

Publilius Syrus

Sententiae

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Topic

Silence is golden Staying quiet Tact and discretion

Author

Publilius Syrus

Source

Sententiae

Medium

Epigram

Language

Latin

Time

43 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Publilius Syrus. Sententiae. c. 1st century BC.

I put together and collect things which I will soon be able to draw upon.

Horace

Epistles

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Topic

Experiences

Author

Horace

Source

Epistles

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

20 BC 20s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Epistularum liber primus [First Book of Letters]. 20 BC, bk. 1, epistle 1.

Current Citation

Horace. "Epistles." Satires and Epistles, translated by John Davie. Oxford University Press, 2011, bk. 1, epistle 1.

Humor very often cuts the knot of serious questions more trenchantly and successfully than severity.

Horace

Satires

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Topic

Power of humor Humor

Author

Horace

Source

Satires

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

34 BC 30s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Romulus. Quoted in Saturae [Satires], written by Horace. c. 35 BC, bk. 1.

Current Citation

Romulus. Quoted in Satires and Epistles, written by Horace, translated by John Davie. Oxford University Press, 2011, bk. 1.

Cease to ask what the morrow will bring forth, and set down as gain each day that Fortune grants.

Horace

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Topic

Gratitude Living in the moment

Author

Horace

Source

Odes (Horace)

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Latin

Time

23 BC 20s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Carmina [Odes]. 23 BC, bk. 1, no. 9.

Current Citation

Horace. "Odes." The Complete Odes and Epodes, translated by David West. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, no. 9.

No man is happy who does not think himself so.

Publilius Syrus

Sententiae

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Topic

Power of thought Attitude and mindset

Author

Publilius Syrus

Source

Sententiae

Medium

Epigram

Language

Latin

Time

43 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Publilius Syrus. Sententiae. c. 1st century BC.

Anger always thinks it has power beyond its power.

Publilius Syrus

Sententiae

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Topic

Anger

Author

Publilius Syrus

Source

Sententiae

Medium

Epigram

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

Latin

Time

43 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Publilius Syrus. Sententiae. c. 1st century BC.

May the countryside and the gliding valley streams content me. Lost to fame, let me love river and woodland.

Virgil

Georgics

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Topic

Rural life

Author

Virgil

Source

Georgics

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

29 BC 20s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Virgil. Georgica [Georgics]. c. 29 BCE, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Virgil. "The Georgics." The Eclogues and The Georgics, translated by C. Day Lewis. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

The renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail; mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession.

Sallust

The War of Catiline

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Topic

Fame Wealth Virtue

Author

Sallust

Source

The War of Catiline

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Latin

Time

42 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Sallust. Bellum Catilinae [War of Catiline]. c. 43–40 BC.

Current Citation

Sallust. "The War with Catiline." The War with Catiline and The War with Jugurtha, translated by John T. Ramsey J. C. Rolfe. Harvard University Press, 2013.

So it is more useful to watch a man in times of peril, and in adversity to discern what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off, reality remains.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Tests of character Character

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 3, l. 55.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 3, l. 55.

How comes it, Maecenas, that no man living is content with the lot that either his choice has given him, or chance has thrown in his way, but each has praise for those who follow other paths?

Horace

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Topic

Envy

Author

Horace

Source

Satires (Horace)

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

35 BC 30s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Horace. Saturae [Satires]. c. 35 BC, bk. 1.

Current Citation

Horace. "Satires." Satires and Epistles, translated by John Davie. Oxford University Press, 2011, bk. 1.

I hate and I love: why I do so you may well ask. I do not know, but I feel it happen and am in agony.

Catullus

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Topic

Love and hate Dangers of love Love

Author

Catullus

Source

Carmina

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

51 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Catullus, Gaius Valerius. Carmina. c. 1481, no. 85.

Current Citation

Cattulus, Gaius Valerius. The Poems of Catullus, translated by Guy Lee. Oxford University Press, 2009, no. 85.