“Then empty rumour to well-grounded fear gave strength.”
Vana quoque ad veros accessit fama timores.
Book I, line 469 (tr. E. Ridley).
Pharsalia
“If a man would be righteous, let him depart from a court. Virtue is incompatible with absolute power. He who is ashamed to commit cruelty must always fear it.”
Exeat aula
qui volt esse pius. Virtus et summa potestas
non coeunt; semper metuet quem saeva pudebunt.
Book VIII, line 493 (tr. J. D. Duff).
Pharsalia
“Boldness is a mask for fear, however great.”
Audendo magnus tegitur timor.
Book IV, line 702 (tr. J. D. Duff).
Pharsalia
“Thus each by his fears adds strength to rumour, and all dread the unconfirmed dangers invented by themselves.”
Sic quisque pavendo
dat vires famae, nulloque auctore malorum
quae finxere timent.
Book I, line 484 (tr. J. D. Duff).
Pharsalia
“Let the mind of man be blind to coming doom; he fears, but leave him hope.”
Sit caeca futuri
mens hominum fati; liceat sperare timenti.
Book II, line 14 (tr. J. D. Duff).
Pharsalia