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Quotes by Plautus
88 quotations from The Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1896), with the subject each one is filed under.
Actus dei nemini facit injuriam. The act of God injures no one. Law Maxim. Factum a judice quod ad ejus officium non spectat, non ratum est. An act of a judge which does not relate to his office, is of no force. Law Maxim. Nunquam ædepol temere tinniit tintinnabulum; Nisi quis illud tractat aut movet, mutum est, tacet. The bell never rings of itself; unless some one handles or moves it it is dumb.— filed under Action
AGE (OLD). Senex cum extemplo est, jam nec sentit, nec sapit; Ajunt solere eum rursum repuerascere. When man reaches the last stage of life, - "Sans sense, sans taste, sans eyes, sans everything,"-they say that he has grown a child again.— filed under Affliction
Nimia est miseria nimis pulchrum esse hominem. It is a great plague to be too handsome a man.— filed under Beauty
Nihil est miserius quam animus hominis conscius. Nothing is more wretched than a guilty conscience.— filed under Conscience
Habeas ut nactus: nota mala res optima est. Keep what you have got; the known evil is best.— filed under Contention
Si animus est æquus tibi satis habes, qui bene vitam colas. If you are content, you have enough to live comfortably.— filed under Contention
Bonus animus in malâ re, dimidium est mali. Courage in danger is half the battle.— filed under Covetousness
Pluma haud interest, patronus an cliens probior sit Homini, cui nulla in pectore est audacia. It does not matter a feather whether a man be supported by patron or client, if he himself wants courage.— filed under Covetousness
Quem di diligunt adolescens moritur dum valet, sentit, sapit. He whom the gods love dies young, while he is in health, has his senses and his judgment sound.— filed under Death
Alterâ manu fert lapidem, alterâ panem ostendat. He carries a stone in one hand, and offers bread with the other.— filed under Deceit
Erras, me decipere haud potes. No, you can't deceive me.— filed under Deceit
Nequam illud verbum est, Bene vult, nisi qui benefacit. "He wishes well" is worthless, unless the deed go with it.— filed under Deeds
Tardo amico nihil est quidquam iniquius. Nothing is more annoying than a tardy friend.— filed under Delay
Nov. 1, 1859. He whom the gods love dies young, while he is in health, has his senses and his judgment sound.— filed under Destiny
Festo die si quid prodegeris, Profesto egere liceat nisi peperceris. Feast to-day makes fast to-morrow.— filed under Eating
Hominum immortalis est infamia; Etiam tum vivit, cum esse credas mortuam. Disgrace is immortal, and living even when one thinks it dead.— filed under Envy
Male partum male disperit. Ill gotten is ill spent.— filed under Evil
Pulchrum ornatum turpes mores pejus cœno collinunt. Bad conduct soils the finest ornament more than filth.— filed under Evil
Culpa tenet suos auctores. A fault finds its own authors. Law Maxim. Quia, qui alterum incusat probi, eum ipsum se intueri oportet. Because those, who twit others with their faults, should look at home.— filed under Faults
Nam improbus est homo qui beneficium scit sumere et reddere nescit. That man is worthless who knows how to receive a favor, but not how to return one.— filed under Fear
In pertusum ingerimus dicta dolium, operam ludimus. We are pouring our words into a sieve, and lose our labor.— filed under Folly
Si stimulos pugnis cædis manibus plus dolet. If you strike the goads with your fists, your hands suffer most.— filed under Folly
Actutum fortunæ solent mutarier; varia vita est. Man's fortune is usually changed at once; life is changeable.— filed under Fortune
Fortuna humana fingit artatque ut lubet. Fortune moulds and circumscribes human affairs as she pleases.— filed under Fortune
Nam multa præter spem scio multis bona evenisse, At ego etiam qui speraverint, spem decepisse multos. For I know that many good things have happened to many, when least expected; and that many hopes have been disappointed.— filed under Fortune
S. Nulli est homini perpetuum bonum. No man has perpetual good fortune.— filed under Fortune
Hospes nullus tam in amici hospitium diverti potest, Quin ubi triduum continuum fuerit jam odiosus siet. No one can be so welcome a guest that he will not become an annoyance when he has stayed three continuous days in a friend's house.— filed under Friendship
Nihil homini amico est opportuno amicius. There is nothing more friendly than a friend in need.— filed under Friendship
Quod tuum'st meum'st; omne meum est autem tuum. What is thine is mine, and all mine is thine.— filed under Friendship
Necesse est facere sumptum, qui quærit lucrum. He who seeks for gain, must be at some expense.— filed under Gain
Est profecto deus, qui, quæ nos gerimus, auditque et videt. There is indeed a God that hears and sees whate'er we do.— filed under God
Cui homini dii propitii sunt aliquid objiciunt lucri. The gods give that man some profit to whom they are propitious.— filed under God
Dî nos quasi pilas homines habent. The gods play games with men as balls.— filed under God
Bono ingenio me esse ornatam, quam auro multo mavolo. Aurum fortuna invenitur, natura ingenium bonum. Bonam ego, quam beatam me esse nimio dici mavolo. A good disposition I far prefer to gold; for gold is the gift of fortune; goodness of disposition is the gift of nature. I prefer much rather to be called good than fortunate.— filed under Goodness
Itidemque ut sæpe jam in multis locis, Plus insciens quis fecit quam prudens boni. And so it happens oft in many instances; more good is done without our knowledge than by us intended.— filed under Goodness
Post id, frumenti quum alibi messis maxima'st Tribus tantis illi minus reddit, quam obseveris. Heu! istic oportet obseri mores malos, Si in obserendo possint interfieri. Besides that, when elsewhere the harvest of wheat is most abundant, there it comes up less by one-fourth than what you have sowed. There, methinks, it were a proper place for men to sow their wild oats, where they would not spring up.— filed under Growth
Dum ne ob male facta peream, parvi æstimo. I esteem death a trifle, if not caused by guilt.— filed under Guilt
Omnes bonos bonasque accurare addecet, Suspicionem et culpam ut ab se segregent. All good men and women should be on their guard to avoid guilt, and even the suspicion of it.— filed under Guilt
Things which you don't hope happen more frequently than things which you do hope.— filed under Hope
S. Etiam illud quod scies nesciveris; Ne videris quod videris. Know not what you know, and see not what you see.— filed under Hunger
Nihil amas, cum ingratum amas. You love a nothing when you love an ingrate.— filed under Ingratitude
Ut acerbum est, pro benefactis cum mali messem metas. How bitter it is to reap a harvest of evil for good that you have done.— filed under Ingratitude
Si quid dictum est per jocum, Non æquum est id te serio prævortier. If anything is spoken in jest, it is not fair to turn it to earnest.— filed under Jesting
Nemini credo, qui large blandus est dives pauperi. I trust no rich man who is officiously kind to a poor man.— filed under Kindness
Plus scire satius est, quam loqui. It is well for one to know more than he says.— filed under Labor
Si quis mutuum quid dederit, sit pro proprio perditum; Cum repetas, inimicum amicum beneficio invenis tuo. Si mage exigere cupias, duarum rerum exoritur optio; Vel illud, quod credideris perdas, vel illum amicum amiseris. What you lend is lost; when you ask for it back, you may find a friend made an enemy by your kindness. If you begin to press him further, you have the choice of two things-either to lose your loan or lose your friend.— filed under Loss
Amor et melle et felle est fœcundissimus: Gustu dat dulce, amarum ad satietatem usque aggerit. Love has both its gall and honey in abundance: it has sweetness to the taste, but it presents bitterness also to satiety.— filed under Love
Auro contra cedo modestum amatorem. Find me a reasonable lover against his weight in gold.— filed under Love
Qui amat, tamen hercle si esurit, nullum esurit. He that is in love, faith, if he be hungry, is not hungry at all.— filed under Love
Qui in amore præcipitavit pejus perit, quam si saxo saliat. He who falls in love meets a worse fate than he who leaps from a rock.— filed under Love
Virtute ambire oportet, non favitoribus. Sat habet favitorum semper, qui recte facit. We should try to succeed by merit, not by favor. He who does well will always have patrons enough.— filed under Merit
Modus omnibus in rebus, soror, optimum est habitu; Nimia omnia nimium exhibent negotium hominibus ex se. In everything the middle course is best: all things in excess bring trouble to men.— filed under Moderation
Adolescentem verecundum esse decet. Modesty becomes a young man.— filed under Modesty
Qui e nuce nucleum esse vult, frangat nucem. He who would eat the kernel, must crack the shell.— filed under Opinion
Nequam hominis ego parvi pendo gratiam. I set little value on the esteem of a worthless man.— filed under Opinion
Non tibi illud apparere si sumas potest. If you spend a thing you can not have it.— filed under Possession
Keep what goods the Gods provide you. jj.— filed under Proverbs
To blow and swallow at the same moment isn't easy to be done.— filed under Proverbs
Speech. Sept. 1, 1848. What is yours is mine, and all mine is yours.— filed under Chilo
Nam inimici famam non ita ut nata est ferunt. Enemies carry a report in form different from the original.— filed under Rumor
Nam ego illum periisse duco, cui quidem periit pudor. I count him lost, who is lost to shame.— filed under Sin
Homines qui gestant, quique auscultant crimina, Si meo arbitratu liceat, omnes pendeant, Gestores linguis, auditores auribus. Your tittle-tattlers, and those who listen to slander, by my good will should all be hanged-the former by their tongues, the latter by the ears. S.— filed under Sin
For enemies carry about slander not in the form in which it took its rise. *** The scandal of men is everlasting; even then does it survive when you would suppose it to be dead.— filed under Slander
Odiosa est oratio, cum rem agas, longinquum loqui. It is a tiresome way of speaking, when you should despatch the business, to beat about the bush.— filed under Speech
Sermoni huic obsonas. You drown him by your talk. S.— filed under Speech
Ego verum amo, verum volo mihi dici; mendacem odi. I love truth and wish to have it always spoken to me: I hate a liar.— filed under Truth
Qui per virtutem peritat, non interit. He who dies for virtue, does not perish.— filed under War
10. 2. Feliciter sapit qui alieno periculo sapit. He gains wisdom in a happy way, who gains it by another's experience.— filed under Wisdom
Nemo solus satis sapit. No man is wise enough by himself.— filed under Wisdom
Mulieri nimio male facere melius est onus, quam bene. A woman finds it much easier to do ill than well.— filed under Woman
Multa sunt mulierum vitia, sed hoc e multis maximum, Cum sibi nimis placent, nimisque operam dant ut placeant viris. Women have many faults, but of the many this is the greatest, that they please themselves too much, and give too little attention to pleasing the men.— filed under Woman
Nam multum loquaces merito omnes habemus, Nec mutam profecto repertam ullam esse Hodie dicunt mulierem ullo in seculo. I know that we women are all justly accounted praters; they say in the present day that there never was in any age such a wonder to be found as a dumb woman.— filed under Woman
Non enim potest quæstus consistere, si eum sumptus superat. There can be no profit, if the outlay exceeds it.— filed under Business
Non soles respicere te, cum dicas injuste alteri? Do you never look at yourself when you abuse another person?— filed under Xxiii
In re malâ animo si bono utare, adjuvat. Fortitude is a great help in distress.— filed under Fortitude
Tu si animum vicisti potius quam animus te est quod gaudias. If you have overcome your inclination and not been overcome by it, you have reason to rejoice.— filed under Inclination
Hei mihi, insanire me ajunt, ultro cum ipsi insaniunt. They call me mad, while they are all mad themselves.— filed under Insult
Nescis tu quam meticurosa res sit ire ad judicem. You little know what a ticklish thing it is to go to law.— filed under Law
Hercle audivi esse optimum mendacium. Quicquid dei dicunt, id rectum est dicere. By Hercules! I have often heard that your piping-hot lie is the best of lies: what the gods dictate, that is right.— filed under Lying
Homo homini lupus. Man is a wolf to man.— filed under Lying
Animus æquus optimum est ærumnæ condimentum. A well-balanced mind is the best remedy against affliction.— filed under Misappropriation
Pluris est oculatus testis unus, quam auriti decem. Qui audiunt, audita dicunt; qui vident, plane sciunt. One eye-witness is of more weight than ten hearsays. Those who hear, speak of what they have heard; those who see, know beyond mistake.— filed under Proof
Viam qui nescit quâ deveniat ad mare Eum oportet amnem quærere comitem sibi. He who does not know his way to the sea should take a river for his guide.— filed under River
SEA (THE). Mare quidem commune certe est omnibus. The sea is certainly common to all.— filed under Satisfaction
Plus potest qui plus valet. The stronger always succeeds. (The weakest goes to the wall.)— filed under Suffrage
Sperat quidem animus: quo eveniat, diis in manu est. The mind is hopeful; success is in God's hands. (Man proposes, God disposes.)— filed under Suffrage
Miserum est opus, Igitur demum fodere puteum, ubi sitis fauces tedet. It is wretched business to be digging well just as thirst is mastering you.— filed under Thirst
Hoc scito nimio celerius Venire quod molestum est, quam id quod cupide petas. Know this, that troubles come swifter than the things we desire.— filed under Trouble