Tacite citations

Page 2

“To every man posterity gives his due honour”
Suum cuique decus posteritas rependit

“It belongs to human nature to hate those you have injured.”
Proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem laeseris.

“The histories of Tiberius, Caius, Claudius, and Nero, while they were in power, were falsified through terror, and after their death were written under the irritation of a recent hatred. Hence my purpose is to relate a few facts about Augustus - more particularly his last acts, then the reign of Tiberius, and all which follows, without either bitterness or partiality, from any motives to which I am far removed.”
Tiberii Gaique et Claudii ac Neronis res florentibus ipsis ob metum falsae, postquam occiderant, recentibus odiis compositae sunt. inde consilium mihi pauca de Augusto et extrema tradere, mox Tiberii principatum et cetera, sine ira et studio, quorum causas procul habeo.

“Indeed, the crowning proof of their valour and their strength is that they keep up their superiority without harm to others.”

“No doubt, there was peace after all this, but it was a peace stained with blood.”
Pacem sine dubio post haec, verum cruentam.

“There will be vices as long as there are men.”
Vitia erunt donec homines

“Some might consider him as too fond of fame; for the desire for glory clings even to the best men longer than any other passion.”

“He possessed a peculiar talent of producing effect in whatever he said or did.”

“On the whole, one would say that their strength is in their infantry, which fights along with the cavalry; admirably adapted to the action of the latter is the swiftness of certain foot soldiers, who are picked from the entire youth of their country, and stationed in front of the line.”

“Every great example of punishment has in it some injustice, but the suffering individual is compensated by the public good.”
Habet aliquid ex iniquo omne magnum exemplum, quod contra singulos, utilitate publica rependitus.

“He had talents equal to business, and aspired no higher.”