Marcus Tullius Cicero

For just as some women are said to be handsome though without adornment, so this subtle manner of speech, though lacking in artificial graces, delights us.

Crimes are not to be measured by the issue of events, but by the bad intentions of men.

A nation can survive its fools, even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within....for the traitor appears not to be a traitor...he rots the soul of a nation...he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist.

My precept to all who build, is, that the owner should be an ornament to the house, and not the house to the owner.

Nothing so cements and holds together all the parts of a society as faith or credit, which can never be kept up unless men are under some force or necessity of honestly paying what they owe to one another.

He who acknowledges a kindness has it still, and he who has a grateful sense of it has requited it.

It is a true saying that 'one falsehood easily leads to another.'

Guilt is present in the very hesitation, even though the deed be not committed.

We cannot employ the mind to advantage when we are filled with excessive food and drink.

Other relaxations are peculiar to certain times, places and stages of life, but the study of letters is the nourishment of our youth, and the joy of our old age. They throw an additional splendor on prosperity, and are the resource and consolation of adversity; they delight at home, and are no embarrassment abroad; in short, they are company to us at night, our fellow travelers on a journey, and attendants in our rural recesses.

If only every man would make proper use of his strength and do his utmost, he need never regret his limited ability.

It is the act of a bad man to deceive by falsehood.

Let our friends perish, provided that our enemies fall at the same time.

There is no quality I would rather have, and be thought to have, than gratitude. For it is not only the greatest virtue, but is the mother of all the rest.

The soil of their native land is dear to all the hearts of mankind.

To stumble twice against the same stone, is a proverbsial disgrace.

The good of the people is the greatest law.

Generosity should never exceed ability.

In friendship we find nothing false or insincere; everything is straight forward, and springs from the heart.

No one can speak well, unless he thoroughly understands his subject.

That he who hath the loan of money has not repaid it, and he who has repaid has not the loan; but he who has acknowledged a kindness has it still, and he who has a feeling of it has requited it.