The 90 best phrases of Cicero
Marco Tulio Cicero, born in 106 a. C., was a notable politician, philosopher and of course Roman writer. Considered perhaps one of the best writers in the ancient Roman Republic, he was a famous defender of the republican system and fought against the dictatorship of the so-called Cease, by all the means available to him.
As one of the most relevant characters of Ancient Rome, we have all heard about him at some time, but would you like to know a little more about his most personal ideas?
- It may interest you: "The 75 most famous phrases of Virgilio"
Best phrases and famous quotes of Cicero
Someone as relevant as Marco Tulio Cicero was, he necessarily needed a selection of the 90 best phrases of him like the one you will find below. We hope you enjoy them!
1. Let the weapons yield to the toga.
Laws are, without a doubt, more powerful than weapons.
2. He who seduces a judge with the prestige of his eloquence seems to me more guilty than he who corrupts him with money.
Not everyone has the gift of eloquence and knowing how to use it is something extraordinary.
3. There are diseases of the soul more pernicious than those of the body.
The emotional damage we receive can be very damaging to ourselves.
4. Until when, Catilina, are you going to abuse our patience?
Being patient is something that not everyone has, patience is a wonderful gift.
5. The testimony of my conscience, is for me of greater price than all the speeches of men.
We will never forget the experiences we have lived, regardless of what others think.
6. We are slaves of the laws in order to be free.
The law is the same for all men and that it is fair, depends on the rulers.
7. Being content with what we have is the safest and best of riches.
Settling for little in life can bring us many advantages, we must be practical.
8. Of men it is to be wrong; crazy, persist in error.
We must not make the same mistake over and over again. Other great thinkers also endorsed this fantastic quote.
9. Wherever it is well, there is the homeland.
Searching for the ideal place to reside is something that has always accompanied man.
10. The strength is the right of the beasts.
He who uses force is not more powerful than he who uses intelligence, otherwise, this civilization would not exist.
11. Honesty is always commendable, even when it does not report utility, reward, or profit.
We must always be honest, it may not be helpful to us but it will allow us to sleep peacefully at night.
12. The cultivation of memory is as necessary as food for the body.
Memories are perhaps our most valuable assets and they will always be with us.
13. Since nothing is more beautiful than knowing the truth, nothing is more shameful than approving the lie and taking it for truth.
The lie is a plague that humanity must get rid of, it does not bring us anything positive in the long run.
14. Eat and drink, for after death there will be no pleasure.
We must make the most of life, as this Cicero quote encourages us to do.
15. Poets are born, speakers are made.
In this quote, Cicero shows us the difference between a poet and an orator, do you think this is true?
16. Thinking is like living twice.
Without a doubt, when we remember, we instantly return to that place.
17. Even though I am older, I continue to learn from my disciples.
We can always learn from a bright and agile mind, it is never too late.
18. Nature herself has impressed on everyone's mind the idea of a God.
The idea of believing in a God is something that has always accompanied man, whether it is true or not.
19. Never offend a friend, not even jokingly.
Being respectful is a sign of intelligence, we must know how to keep our friends.
20. There is no man of any nation who, having taken nature as his guide, cannot arrive at the truth.
Nature, like science is governed by the law of success or error, with enough time it will achieve its goal.
21. Victory is by nature insolent and arrogant.
He who always gets used to winning, like a spoiled child, will adopt bad attitudes.
22. The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory.
Those most valuable things are always the ones that cost the most to get.
23. Nature wants friendship to be a helper of virtues, but not a companion of vices.
A life of vices will unequivocally lead us towards loneliness, vices are not good company.
24. We were not born just for ourselves.
We must collaborate in the society in which we find ourselves in order to feel fulfilled as individuals.
25. Not only is fortune blind, but it ordinarily renders those whom it caresses also blind.
When we live surrounded by fortune, we tend to accommodate ourselves and let ourselves be carried away by events.
26. What greater thing than to have someone with whom you dare to speak as yourself?
Friendships allow us to talk about our own shortcomings with someone other than ourselves.
27. History: witness of the times, light of truth, life of memory, teacher of life, witness of antiquity.
History is a great source of knowledge from which we can all learn.
28. There is no justice if each one is not allowed to have his own.
Since Roman times, private property has existed, a relevant aspect of our society.
29. There is nothing made by the hand of man that sooner or later time will not destroy.
Time destroys everything in its path, after enough time we will be nothing but dust
30. There is no moment in life that is free of duties.
There are always tasks that we must do, we will never be exempt from them.
31. Virtue is perfected reason.
When we reach a very high level of perfection in any task, we reach mastery in it.
32. My books are always at my disposal, they are never busy.
Reading is an activity that can provide us with great personal pleasure, as well as enrich us intellectually.
33. Nothing disturbs human life so much as ignorance of good and evil.
Not being aware of what is right and what is wrong will lead to a guaranteed mistake.
34. The whole life of philosophers is a meditation on death.
It is very common among philosophers to ramble about death and how it will end up trapping us.
35. This is the first precept of friendship; ask friends only what is honest, and do for them only what is honest.
As this quote from the great teacher Cicero tells us, we must act honestly with our friends.
36. Men resemble gods when they do good to humanity.
The best way a man can act is, without a doubt, by doing good to others.
37. There is nothing so incredible that public speaking cannot make it acceptable.
Words are often not enough to explain the greatness of a feat.
38. Living without friends is not living.
Friendship is a wonderful aspect that makes our lives much happier.
39. There is nothing more unjust than seeking a prize in justice.
Justice does not comfort the oppressed or the injured, since it acts fairly with the aggressor, perhaps causing discomfort in the other party.
40. You don't take a step, you don't plot a plot, you don't conceive a single thought without my knowing it; and I say more, without me knowing it in all its details.
Cicero speaks to us in this quote, about how he could anticipate the movements of his enemies.
41. I pay more attention to the testimony of my conscience than to all the judgments that men make of me.
We must know how to listen to the voice of our conscience, it will often lead us to the right path.
42. Thus, if you want to look up and see this eternal headquarters and mansion, do not trust what the vulgar says, or put the hope of your actions on human rewards; must the same virtue with its attractions lead you to true glory.
We must act fairly and honorably, not for the applause of others but for the mere pleasure of doing things well.
43. No man has become great without a touch of divine inspiration.
Without a doubt, great works are always the fruit of great inspiration.
44. The loss of our strength is due rather to the vices of youth than to the ravages of the years.
Knowing how to act wisely in our youth will give us a better old age.
45. The happy and blissful life is the sole object of all philosophy.
We all want to achieve happiness in life and to many of us, curiously it is not elusive.
46. We know everything: the light of day is not as clear to us as your guilt.
An accusing quote from Cicero that we may be able to use at some point of stress in our lives.
47. It's good to get used to fatigue and running, but don't push yourself.
Wanting to go too fast can make us faint and thus not reach our goal. As the saying goes: "dress me slowly because I'm in a hurry."
48. The things we say when the mood is angry are always more sincere than when it is calm.
Anger can cloud our judgment and make us talk too much, we must calm our spirits before speaking out.
49. Nothing is more attractive to a man than his courtesy, his patience, and his tolerance.
Without a doubt, these are three virtues that we should all possess, a great advice that Cicero gives us.
50. The observation of nature and meditation have generated art.
In nature we can find the most perfect forms, because with the passing of time, it has been nature who in her wisdom has created them.
51. There is no absurdity that has not passed through the head of some philosopher.
Even the most absurd aspects of life are often studied by philosophy.
52. Superstition, one in which an inane fear of the gods is condensed; religion, one that is founded on a pious cultivation of divinity.
In ancient Rome, superstition and religion directly affected the population in their day to day life.
53. Not caring at all about what people think of yourself is not only arrogance, but also shameless.
The opinion of others towards us can bring us great misfortunes, be careful what others think.
54. Of course, if a defender were to be appointed ex officio, he would be chosen in preference to the one who, bringing together the authority of the magistrate the talent of the orator, will be clothed with the dignity that the accused.
In this quote, Cicero tells us about the legal profession and the qualities it takes to practice it.
55. I explained to you, senators, the reason for my departure: now I will briefly explain the reason for the return, in which there is more to admire.
Even someone as important as Cicero himself, had on many occasions to report his comings and goings to the authority of the moment.
56. There the others with what they say of you, because they have to speak; because everything they say will also be circumscribed by this small space of the regions that you see, since never Nobody's fame was perennial, since it disappears with the death of men and is extinguished with the forgetfulness of the posterity.
Many things will be said about us in the course of our lives, but when the time comes, they will all be forgotten.
57. If you think that my feelings have changed, that my firmness has been broken, that my soul has fallen, it is a strange mistake.
Cicero was always faithful to his ideas and personality, nothing and no one was going to change him.
58. It seemed that a new dawn had dawned, not only banished the tyranny that had had us subjugated, but also the fear of returning to it: and it gave the Republic a great he pledged that he wanted the freedom of the city, with having completely banished the name of dictator, which many times had been fair, due to the recent memory of the dictatorship life.
A staunch defender of the republican system, Cicero wanted a government of the people, for the people.
59. A home without books is like a body without a Soul.
Books are goods of great intellectual value and in ancient Rome they were surely much more valuable.
60. I cannot help being interested in favor of the one who is preparing to sail in the same stormy sea.
We must support those who dare to innovate, the evolution of humanity depends on them.
61. Certainly ignorance of the evils to come is more useful to us than their knowledge.
Many times the knowledge that something bad will happen makes us more unhappy too soon.
62. I do not consider free those who do not sometimes have their leisure time.
Leisure is something necessary for human beings, it helps us de-stress and relax.
63. My revenge will be provided for the various kinds of attacks directed against my authority or myself.
I would not like to be in the shoes of those who once attacked this philosopher.
64. I speak, but I cannot affirm anything; I will always seek, I will doubt frequently, and I will mistrust myself.
Doubt is something natural in all great thinkers, without it we would never find the truth.
65. His irritated soul thought of nothing but punishing his enemies; I do not think of mine, nor will I remember them except to the extent that the supreme interest of the republic dictates.
Trusting that justice will act against all wrongdoers can help us lead a more fulfilling life.
66. If the one who buys with the formalities prescribed by law is safe from the claims of a third party when the seller justifies the ownership of the thing sold, with more reason when the right of a consul to perform such a high magistracy is discussed, the call to justify the appointment of the people is the consul who proposed it and has to give possession.
The defense of justice is something very important that was already practiced at that time, corruption never had easy things in ancient Rome.
67. The law is, then, the distinction between just and unjust things, expressed according to that ancient and first nature of things.
A very controversial definition that explains what Cicero understood as The Law. Do you agree with him?
68. Here, conscript fathers, right here, among us, in the bosom of this corporation, the most holy and Augustus of the universe, some men take their seats who premeditate my death, and yours, and the destruction from Rome; What do I say? World's End!
This philosopher knew that his life was in danger as he recited these same words.
69. Finally, review the penultimate night with me, and you will convince yourself that I watch over to save the Republic more than you do to lose it. I tell you that the penultimate night you went to the blacksmith's neighborhood and you were, I don't have to shut it up, at M. Lecca; there the accomplices of your criminal fury gathered in great numbers.
The Roman Republic was a melting pot of plots and conspiracies, where some always plotted the death of others.
70. Bad peace is always better than the best war.
Peace is the highest end that a man must pursue, politicians as elected officials must dedicate themselves towards that end.
71. If we do good out of interest, we will be cunning, but never good.
We should not act out of interest, being honest in life is very important,
72. Friendship begins where it ends or when interest ends.
Knowing how to guard against those who act out of interest can be very beneficial.
73. Confidence corrupts friendship; much contact consumes her; respect preserves it.
Respecting our friends is something that we all must do, give them their personal space and know how to understand them.
74. How long must we still be the plaything of your fury? Where will the outbursts of your unbridled daring stop?
There are people who try to manipulate others to achieve their own ends, we should not get carried away by this type of individual.
75. Violence, injustice, the fury of the wicked, have been able to uproot me and destroy other things; but they have not and will not be able to deprive me of my spirits or diminish my strength.
Our firm decision is what will allow us to achieve our purpose. Nothing can stop our willpower.
76. Stumbling twice on the same rock is a proverbial misfortune.
The human being is the only animal that stumbles twice on the same stone. Has it ever happened to you?
77. I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know.
When we do not know something about an issue it is important that others know.
78. The life of the dead consists in being present in the spirit of the living.
We will always remember those people who, unfortunately, have had to leave us.
79. The democratic aspiration is not a simple recent phase in human history. It is human history.
Since the beginning of civilization there have always been leaders and there has always been someone with an interest in overthrowing that leader.
80. Friendship with favorable contingencies makes them more splendid; and to the adverse ones, dividing them and communicating them, more bearable.
Friendship is a force that can make us much more powerful, a group of well-matched friends can be unstoppable.
81. True glory takes root and spreads; vain pretenses fall to the ground like flowers. The fake doesn't last long.
When something does not have a good foundation, it is bound to collapse sooner or later.
82. The truth is corrupted by both lies and silence.
When we know that something is not true, we must make sure that those around us know it too.
83. All men can fall into a mistake; but only fools persevere in it.
As Benjamin Franklin very aptly put it: "To make mistakes is human, to persevere in them is diabolical."
84. Laws are silenced with weapons.
Armed struggles do not understand laws or rights, they are always violated in a conflict of this type.
85. It is not enough to achieve wisdom, it is necessary to know how to use it.
When we are possessors of a vast knowledge we must know how to use it.
86. No one who trusts himself envies the virtue of the other.
What others have we have to give the same, what is important is what we have.
87. If you want to be old for a long time, get old soon.
Old age is the last stage that the human being goes through, in Ancient Rome this stage used to be quite brief.
88. He is eloquent who says humble things with sharpness; with gallantry and splendor those of the highest category, and in temperate style the medium things.
Being a possessor of the gift of prayer can allow us to know how to express ourselves in the most difficult moments.
89. All pretended things fall like withered flowers, because no simulation can last long.
Only those authentic and higher quality things persist over time.
90. The law has not been established by the ingenuity of men, nor by the commandment of the peoples, but it is something eternal that governs the universe with the wisdom of ruling and prohibiting.
Through the laws, men are capable of living in society. Otherwise, only chaos would reign in the world.
