Top 15 Sallust Quotes

Roman historian and politician (86 BC - c. 35 BC)

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Gaius Sallustius Crispus (86 – 34 BC) was a statesman and historian during the last century of the Roman Republic.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Native Name: C. Sallustius Qui. Crispus

Alternative Names: Gaius Sallustius Crispus • Qay Krisp Sallyusti

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He that will be angry for anything, will be angry for nothing.

But experience has shown that to be true which Appius says in his verses, that every man is the architect of his own fortune.

Sed res docuit id verum esse, quod in carminibus Appius ait, fabrum esse suae quemque fortunae.

Namque pauci libertatem, pars magna iustos dominos volunt.

Nam concordia parvae res crescunt, discordia maxumae dilabuntur.

Necessitas etiam timidos fortes facit.

Omnes homines, patres conscripti, qui de rebus dubiis consultant, ab odio, amicitia, ira atque misericordia vacuos esse decet.

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.

At nos non imperium neque divitias petimus, quarum rerum causa bella atque certamina omnia inter mortales sunt, sed libertatem, quam nemo bonus nisi cum anima simul amittit.

Is it not better to die in a glorious attempt, than, after having been the sport of other men's insolence, to resign a wretched and degraded existence with ignominy?

Nonne emori per virtutem praestat quam vitam miseram atque inhonestam, ubi alienae superbiae ludibrio fueris, per dedecus amittere?

For to like the same things and to dislike the same things, only this is a strong friendship.

Nam idem velle atque idem nolle, ea demum firma amicitia est.

Ambition prompted many to become deceitful; to keep one thing concealed in the breast, and another ready on the tongue; to estimate friendships and enmities, not by their worth, but according to interest; and to carry rather a specious countenance than an honest heart.

Ambitio multos mortales falsos fieri subegit, aliud clausum in pectore, aliud in lingua promptum habere, amicitias inimicitiasque non ex re, sed ex commodo aestimare, magisque vultum quam ingenium bonum habere.