Livy Quotes & Sayings

No law is sufficiently convenient to all. — Livy

Men are least safe from what success induces them not to fear. — Livy

Nothing hurts worse than the loss of money. — Livy

Envy is blind, and she has no other quality than that of detracting from virtue — Livy

The real power behind whatever success I have now was something I found within myself - something that's in all of us, I think, a little piece of God just waiting to be discovered. — Livy

This it is which is particularly salutary and profitable in the study of history, that you behold instances of every variety of conduct displayed on a conspicuous monument; that from thence you may select for yourself and for your country that which you may imitate; thence note what is shameful in the undertaking, and shameful in the result, which you may avoid. — Livy

When Tarquin the Proud was asked what was the best mode of governing a conquered city, he replied only by beating down with his staff all the tallest poppies in his garden. — Livy

The most honorable, as well as the safest course, is to rely entirely upon
valour. — Livy

Good fortune and a good disposition are rarely given to the same man. — Livy

Toil and pleasure, dissimilar in nature, are nevertheless united by a certain natural bond. — Livy

Destiny had decreed that the Gauls were still to feel the true meaning of Roman valor, for when the raiders started on their mission Rome's lucky star led them to Ardea, where Camillus was living in exile, more grieved by the misfortunes of his country than by his own. Growing, as he felt, old and useless, filled with resentment against gods and men, he was asking in the bitterness of his heart where now were the men who had stormed Veii and Falerii - the men whose courage in every fight had been greater even than their success, when suddenly he heard the news that a Gallic army was near. The men of Ardea, he knew, were in anxious consultation, and it had not been his custom to assist at their deliberations; but now, like a man inspired, he burst into the Council chamber. — Livy

War is just to those for whom it is necessary, and arms are clear of impiety for those who have no hope left but in arms. — Livy

Avarice and luxury, those evils which have been the ruin of every great state. — Livy

Envy, like fire, soars upward. — Livy

It is easy at any moment to surrender a large fortune; to build one up is a difficult and an arduous task. — Livy

Bethink yourself not whence you sprang, but who you are. — Livy

Men are only clever at shifting blame from their own shoulders to those of others. — Livy

Of late years wealth has made us greedy, and self-indulgence has brought us, through every kind of sensual excess, to be, if I may so put it, in love with death both individual and collective — Livy

Men of outstanding ability are more likely to lack the power of controlling their own people than of defeating an enemy in battle. — Livy

As soon as she (woman) begins to be ashamed of what she ought not, she will not be ashamed of what she ought. — Livy

[1.9]The Roman State had now become so strong that it was a match for any of its neighbours in war, but its greatness threatened to last for only one generation, since through the absence of women there was no hope of offspring, and there was no right of intermarriage with their neighbours. — Livy

The best known evil is the most tolerable. — Livy

The political reputation of Servius rests upon his organization of society according to a fixed scale of rank and fortune. He originated the census, a measure of the highest utility to a state destined, as Rome was, to future preeminence; for by means of its public service, in peace as well as in war, could thence forward be regularly organized on the basis of property; every man's contribution could be in proportion to his means. — Livy

Men are slower to recognise blessings than misfortunes. — Livy

A woman's mind is affected by the meanest gifts. — Livy

It is your duty,' he said, 'to recover your country not by gold but by the sword. You will be fighting with all you love before your eyes: the temples of the gods, your wives and children, the soil of your native land scarred with the ravages of war, and everything which honor and truth call upon you to defend, or recover, or avenge. — Livy

Never is work without reward, or reward without work. — Livy

Many difficulties which nature throws in our way, may be smoothed away by the exercise of intelligence. — Livy

No crime can ever be defended on rational grounds. — Livy

The law proposed by Valerius forbade that anyone who had appealed should be scourged with rods or beheaded, but if the law was disregarded on either point it did no more than term it 'a wicked deed'. Such was the sense of shame amongst men at that time that this, I suppose, was thought to impose a legal sanction which would be sufficiently binding. Today hardly anyone would seriously utter such a threat. — Livy

Events of great consequence often spring from trifling circumstances. — Livy

The old Romans all wished to have a king over them because they had not yet tasted the sweetness of freedom. — Livy

Friendships ought to be immortal, hostilities mortal. — Livy

In these latter years wealth has brought avarice in its train, and the unlimited command of pleasure has created in men a passion for ruining themselves and everything else through self-indulgence and licentiousness. — Livy

There is an old saying which, from its truth, has become proverbial, that friendships should be immortal, enmities mortal. — Livy

The populace is like the sea motionless in itself, but stirred by every wind, even the lightest breeze. — Livy

Envy is blind, and is only clever in depreciating the virtues of others. — Livy

You know how to vanquish, Hannibal, but you do not know how to profit from victory. — Livy

Resistance to criminal rashness comes better late than never. — Livy

Men's minds are too ready to excuse guilt in themselves. — Livy

The special and salutary benefit of the study of history is to behold evidence of every sort of behavior set forth as on a splendid memorial; from it you may select for yourself and for your country what to emulate, from it what to avoid, whether basely begun or basely concluded. — Livy

A person under the firm persuasion that he can command resources virtually has them. — Livy

Many things complicated by nature are restored by reason. — Livy

Fear looks always on the darker side... — Livy

True moderation in the defence of political liberties is indeed a difficult thing: pretending to want fair shares for all, every man raises himself by depressing his neighbour; our anxiety to avoid oppression leads us to practice it ourselves; the injustice we repel, we visit in turn upon others, as if there were no choice except either to do it or to suffer it. — Livy

This was the Athenians' war against the King of Macedon, a war of words. Words are the only weapons the Athenians have left. — Livy

Such is the nature of crowds: either they are humble and servile or arrogant and dominating. They are incapable of making moderate use of freedom, which is the middle course, or of keeping it. — Livy

Present sufferings seem far greater to men than those they merely dread. — Livy

The result showed that fortune helps the brave. — Livy

Envy, like flames, soars upwards. — Livy

Nothing stings us so bitterly as the loss of money — Livy

Adversity makes men remember God. — Livy

There is nothing man will not attempt when great enterprises hold out the promise of great rewards. — Livy

They are more than men at the outset of their battles; at the end they are less than the women. — Livy

War is just to those to whom war is necessary. — Livy

Fame opportunely despised often comes back redoubled. — Livy

Men are slower to recognize blessings than misfortunes. — Livy

There is nothing worse than being ashamed of parsimony or poverty. — Livy

A gentleman is mindful no less of the freedom of others than of his own dignity. — Livy

We survive on adversity and perish in ease and comfort. — Livy

Rome has grown since its humble beginnings that it is now overwhelmed by its own greatness. — Livy

Shared danger is the strongest of bonds; it will keep men united in spite of mutual dislike and suspicion. — Livy

No man likes to be surpassed by those of this own level. — Livy

No law can possibly meet the convenience of every one: we must be satisfied if it be beneficial on the whole and to the majority. — Livy

Thus, if there is anyone who is confident that he can advise me as to the best advantage of the state in this campaign which I am about to conduct, let him not refuse his services to the state, but come with me into Macedonia. I will furnish him with his sea-passage, with a horse, a tent, and even travel-funds. If anyone is reluctant to do this and prefers the leisure of the city to the hardships of campaigning, let him not steer the ship from on shore. — Livy

Certain peace is better and safer than anticipated victory. — Livy

The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find yourself and your country both examples and warnings; fine things to take as models, base things rotten through and through, to avoid. — Livy

He is truly a man who will not permit himself to be unduly elated when fortune's breeze is favorable, or cast down when it is adverse. — Livy

The mind sins, not the body; if there is no intention, there is no blame. — Livy

It is when fortune is the most propitious that she is least to be trusted. — Livy

Others were found with their heads buried in holes in the earth, and it was evident that they had made theses holes for themselves, had heaped up the soil on their faces, and so suffocated themselves. Of all sights, the most striking was a Numidian who lay with a dead Roman upon him; he was alive, but his ears and nose were mangled, for with hands that were powerless to grasp a weapon, the man's rage had turned to madness, and he had breathed his last while he tore his enemy with his teeth. — Livy

Others Exonerated the plebs and threw the blame upon the patricians: it was owing to their artful canvassing that the plebeians found the road to office blocked; if the plebs might have a breathing-spell from the mingled prayers and menaces of the nobles, they would think of their friends when they went to vote, and to the protection they had already won would add authority. It was resolved in order to do away with canvassing, that the tribunes should propose a law forbidding anyone to whiten his toga, for the purpose of announcing himself a candidate. This may now appear a trivial thing and one scarcely to be considered seriously, but at the time it kindled a furious struggle between the patricians and the plebs. Yet the tribunes prevailed and carried their law: and it was clear that the plebeians in their irritated mood would support the men of their own order. — Livy

Truth, they say, is but too often in difficulties, but is never finally suppressed. — Livy

In adversity assume the countenance of prosperity, and in prosperity moderate the temper and desires. — Livy

The worst kind of shame is being ashamed of frugality or poverty. — Livy

It is easy at any moment to resign the possession of a great fortune; to acquire it is difficult and arduous — Livy

It is easier to criticize than to correct our past errors. — Livy

The troubles which have come upon us always seem more serious than those which are only threatening. — Livy

Those ills are easiest to bear with which we are most familiar. — Livy

Law is a thing which is insensible, and inexorable, more beneficial and more profitious to the weak than to the strong; it admits of no mitigation nor pardon, once you have overstepped its limits. — Livy

The less there is of fear, the less there is of danger. — Livy

Men are seldom blessed with good fortune and good sense at the same time. — Livy

Necessity is the last and strongest weapon — Livy

Truth is often eclipsed but never extinguished. — Livy

An honor prudently declined often returns with increased luster. — Livy

The army from Asia introduced a foreign luxury to Rome; it was then the meals began to require more dishes and more expenditure ... the cook, who had up to that time been employed as a slave of low price, become dear: what had been nothing but a metier was elevated to an art. — Livy

There is always more spirit in attack than in defence. — Livy

Favor and honor sometimes fall more fitly on those who do not desire them. — Livy

Nature has ordained that the man who is pleading his own cause before a large audience, will be more readily listened to than he who has no object in view other than the public benefit. — Livy

The Roman envoys replied that they would go where their own generals led them, not where bidden by their enemies. — Livy

The sun has not yet set for all time. — Livy

In difficult and desperate cases, the boldest counsels are the safest. — Livy

Wit is the flower of the imagination. — Livy

Adversity reminds men of religion. — Livy

It is better that a guilty man should not be brought to trial than that he should be acquitted. — Livy

Potius sero quam nunquam.
Better late than never. — Livy

Passions are generally roused from great conflict. — Livy

So difficult is it to observe moderation in the defence of liberty, while each man under the presence of equality raises himself only by keeping others down, and by their very precautions against fear men make themselves feared, and in repelling injury from ourselves we inflict it on others as though there were no alternative between doing wrong and suffering it. — Livy

Dignity is a matter which concerns only mankind. — Livy

By flying, men often rush into the midst of calamities. — Livy