Horace Quotes

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.”

“A heart well prepared for adversity in bad times hopes, and in good times fears for a change in fortune.”

“Force without wisdom falls of its own weight.”

“For nature forms our spirits to receive
Each bent that outward circumstance can give:
She kindles pleasure, bids resentment glow,
Or bows the soul to earth in hopeless woe.”
Format enim Natura prius nos intus ad omnem Fortunarum habitum, juvat, aut impellit ad iram, Aut ad humum moerore gravi deducit, et angit.

“At times the world sees straight, but many times the world goes astray.”
Interdum volgus rectum videt, est ubi peccat.

“O Fortune, cruellest of heavenly powers,
Why make such game of this poor life of ours?”
Heu, Fortuna, quis est crudelior in nos Te deus? Ut semper gaudes illudere rebus Humanis!

“Life grants nothing to us mortals without hard work.”
Nil sine magno vita labore dedit mortalibus.

“If my character is flawed by a few minor faults, but is otherwise decent and moral, if you can point out only a few scattered blemishes on an otherwise immaculate surface, if no one can accuse me of greed, or of prurience, or of profligacy, if I live a virtuous life, free of defilement (pardon, for a moment, my self-praise), and if I am to my friends a good friend, my father deserves all the credit… As it is now, he deserves from me unstinting gratitude and praise. I could never be ashamed of such a father, nor do I feel any need, as many people do, to apologize for being a freedman's son.”
Atqui si vitiis mediocribus ac mea paucis mendosa est natura, alioqui recta, velut si egregio inspersos reprehendas corpore naevos, si neque avaritiam neque sordes nec mala lustra obiciet vere quisquam mihi, purus et insons, ut me collaudem, si et vivo carus amicis... at hoc nunc laus illi debetur et a me gratia maior. nil me paeniteat sanum patris huius, eoque non, ut magna dolo factum negat esse suo pars, quod non ingenuos habeat clarosque parentis, sic me defendam.

“He will through life be master of himself and a happy man who from day to day can have said, "I have lived: tomorrow the Father may fill the sky with black clouds or with cloudless sunshine."”
Ille potens sui laetusque deget, cui licet in diem dixisse "vixi: cras vel atra nube polum pater occupato vel sole puro."

“Art is long, life is short.”
Ars longa, vita brevis.

“Now is the time for drinking, now the time to dance footloose upon the earth.”
Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus.

“He wins every hand who mingles profit with pleasure, by delighting and instructing the reader at the same time.”
Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci, lectorem delectando pariterque monendo.

“As we speak cruel time is fleeing. Seize the day, believing as little as possible in the morrow.”
Dum loquimur, fugerit invida Aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.

“A host is like a general: calamities often reveal his genius.”
Sed convivatoris uti ducis ingenium res Adversae nudare solent, celare secundae.

“Mere grace is not enough: a play should thrill
The hearer's soul, and move it at its will.”
Non satis est pulchra esse poemata; dulcia sunto Et, quocumque uolent, animum auditoris agunto.

“I am not bound over to swear allegiance to any master; where the storm drives me I turn in for shelter.”
Nullius addictus iurare in verba magistri, quo me cumque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes.

“What is to prevent one from telling truth as he laughs, even as teachers sometimes give cookies to children to coax them into learning their A B C?”
Quamquam ridentem dicere verum quid vetat? ut pueris olim dant crustula blandi doctores, elementa velint ut discere prima.

“Conquered Greece took captive her savage conqueror and brought her arts into rustic Latium.”
Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit et artes intulit agresti Latio.

“Nam tua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardet.”

“He is not poor who has enough of things to use. If it is well with your belly, chest and feet, the wealth of kings can give you nothing more.”
Pauper enim non est, cui rerum suppetit usus. si ventri bene, si lateri est pedibusque tuis, nil divitiae poterunt regales addere maius.

“Anger is a momentary madness so control your passion or it will control you.”
Ira furor brevis est: animum rege: qui nisi paret imperat.

“Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled.”
Semel emissum volat irrevocabile verbum.

“When you wish to instruct, be brief; that men’s minds may take in quickly what you say, learn its lesson, and retain it faithfully. Every word that is unnecessary only pours over the side of a brimming mind.”
Quidquid praecipies, esto brevis, ut cito dicta percipiant animi dociles teneantque fideles: omne supervacuum pleno de pectore manat.

“As money grows, care follows it and the hunger for more.”
Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam, Maiorumque fames.

“The Muse gave the Greeks their native character, and allowed them to speak in noble tones, they who desired nothing but praise.”
Grais ingenium, Grais dedit ore rotundo Musa loqui, præter laudem nullius avaris. . .

“To flee vice is the beginning of virtue, and to have got rid of folly is the beginning of wisdom.”
Virtus est vitium fugere et sapientia prima stultitia caruisse.

“Some faults may claim forgiveness.”
Sunt delicta tamen quibus ignovisse velimus.

“None knows the reason why this curse
Was sent on him, this love of making verse.”
Nec satis apparet, cur versus factitet.

“Leave all else to the gods.”
Permitte divis cetera.

“Let hopes and sorrows, fears and angers be,
And think each day that dawns the last you'll see;
For so the hour that greets you unforeseen
Will bring with it enjoyment twice as keen.”
Inter spem curamque, timores inter et iras, Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum: Grata superveniet quae non sperabitur hora.

“In adversity, remember to keep an even mind.”
Aequam memento rebus in arduis servare mentem.

“In vain did Nature's wife command
Divide the waters from the land,
If daring ships and men profane,
Invade th' inviolable main.”
Nequiquam deus abscidit Prudens Oceano dissociabili Terras, si tamen impiae Non tangenda rates transiliunt vada.

“Death takes the mean man with the proud;
The fatal urn has room for all.”
Aequa lege Necessitas Sortitur insignes et imos; Omne capax movet urna nomen.

“To have good sense, is the first principle and fountain of writing well.”
Scribendi recte sapere est et principium et fons.

“It is your concern when your neighbor's wall is on fire.”
Nam tua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardet.

“Ah, Postumus! they fleet away,
Our years, nor piety one hour
Can win from wrinkles and decay,
And Death's indomitable power.”
Eheu fugaces, Postume, Postume, labuntur anni nec pietas moram rugis et instanti senectae adferet indomitaeque morti.

“It is sweet and honorable to die for one's country.”
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.

“We are but dust and shadow.”
Pulvis et umbra sumus.

“If you wish me to weep, you yourself
Must first feel grief.”
Si vis me flere, dolendum est primum ipsi tibi.

“As for me, when you want a good laugh, you will find me in fine state… fat and sleek, a true hog of Epicurus' herd.”
Me pinguem et nitidum bene curata cute vises, cum ridere voles Epicuri de grege porcum.

“O fairer daughter of a fair mother!”
O matre pulchra filia pulchrior

“Enjoy the present smiling hour,
And put it out of Fortune's power.”
Quod adest memento componere aequus.

“The years as they pass plunder us of one thing after another.”
Singula de nobis anni praedantur euntes.

“You may drive out Nature with a pitchfork, yet she still will hurry back.”
Naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret.

“So live, my boys, as brave men; and if fortune is adverse, front its blows with brave hearts.”
Quocirca vivite fortes, fortiaque adversis opponite pectora rebus

“Mediocrity in poets has never been tolerated by either men, or gods, or booksellers.”
Mediocribus esse poetis Non homines, non di, non concessere columnae.

“In peace, as a wise man, he should make suitable preparation for war.”
in pace, ut sapiens, aptarit idonea bello

“To have a great man for an intimate friend seems pleasant to those who have never tried it; those who have, fear it.”
Dulcis inexpertis cultura potentis amici; Expertus metuit.[http://books.google.com/books?id=BGxQAAAAcAAJ&q=%22Dulcis+inexpertis+cultura+potentis+amici+Expertus+metuit%22&pg=PA207#v=onepage]

“Struggling to be brief I become obscure.”

“And what he fears he cannot make attractive with his touch he abandons.”
Et quae Desperat tractata nitescere posse relinquit.

“Think to yourself that every day is your last; the hour to which you do not look forward will come as a welcome surprise.”
Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum. grata superveniet, quae non sperabitur hora.

“The man who is tenacious of purpose in a rightful cause is not shaken from his firm resolve by the frenzy of his fellow citizens clamoring for what is wrong, or by the tyrant's threatening countenance.”
Iustum et tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava iubentium, non vultus instantis tyranni mente quatit solida.

“Sky, not spirit, do they change, those who cross the sea.”
Caelum, non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt.

“What the discordant harmony of circumstances would and could effect.”
Quid velit et possit rerum concordia discors

“Often a purple patch or two is tacked on to a serious work of high promise, to give an effect of colour.”
Inceptis gravibus plerumque et magna professis purpureus, late qui splendeat, unus et alter adsuitur pannus.

“I am displeased when sometimes even the worthy Homer nods;”
Indignor quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus;

“This to the right, that to the left hand strays,
And all are wrong, but wrong in different ways.”
Ille sinistrorsum, hie dextrorsum abit : unus utrique Error, sed variis illudit partibus.

“What odds does it make to the man who lives within Nature's bounds, whether he ploughs a hundred acres or a thousand?”

“Look round and round the man you recommend,
For yours will be the shame should he offend.”
Qualem commendes, etiam atque etiam aspice, ne mox incutiant aliena tibi peccata pudorem.

“He who feared that he would not succeed sat still.”
Sedit qui timuit ne non succederet.

“For joys fall not to the rich alone, nor has he lived ill, who from birth to death has passed unknown.”
Nam neque divitibus contingunt gaudia solis, nec vixit male, qui natus moriensque fefellit.

“I sing for maidens and boys.”
Virginibus puerisque canto.

“It is difficult to speak of the universal specifically.”
Difficile est proprie communia dicere.

“We rarely find anyone who can say he has lived a happy life, and who, content with his life, can retire from the world like a satisfied guest.”
Inde fit ut raro, qui se vixisse beatum dicat et exacto contentus tempore vita cedat uti conviva satur, reperire queamus.