Martial Quotes & Sayings

One genius has made many clever artists. — Martial

I believe that man to be wretched whom none can please. — Martial

Who gives to friends so much from Fate secures,
That is the only wealth for ever yours.
[Lat., Extra fortunam est, quidquid donatur amicis;
Quas dederis, selas semper habebis opes.] — Martial

To the ashes of the dead glory comes too late. — Martial

No amount of misfortune will satisfy the man who is not satisfied
with reading a hundred epigrams. — Martial

Those they praise, but they read the others. — Martial

You are sad in the midst of every blessing. Take care that Fortune does not observe
or she will call you ungrateful. — Martial

For wealth's now given to none but to the rich. — Martial

Wish to be what you are, and wish for no other position. — Martial

To be able to enjoy one's past life is to live twice. — Martial

However great the dish that holds the turbot, the turbot is still greater than the dish. — Martial

You admire, Vacerra, only the poets of old and praise only those who are dead. Pardon me, I beseech you, Vacerra, if I think death too high a price to pay for your praise. — Martial

If fame comes after death, I'm in no hurry for it.
[Lat., Si post fata venit gloria non propero.] — Martial

You complain, friend Swift, of the length of my epigrams, but you yourself write nothing. Yours are shorter. — Martial

Can the fish love the fisherman?
[Lat., Piscatorem piscis amare potest?] — Martial

I have not hated the man, but his faults. — Martial

I commend you, Postumus, for kissing me with only half your lip; you may, however, if you please, withhold even the half of this half. Are you inclined to grant me a boon still greater, and even inexpressible? Keep this whole half entirely to yourself, Postumus. — Martial

He who writes distichs, wishes, I suppose, to please by brevity. But, tell me, of what avail is their brevity, when there is a whose book full of them? — Martial

You should not fear, nor yet should you wish for your last day. — Martial

It is not he who forms idols in gold or marble that makes them gods, but he who kneels before them. — Martial

Short is the life of those who possess great accomplishments, and seldom do they reach a good old age. Whatever thou lovest, pray that thou mayest not set too high a value on it. — Martial

Service cannot be expected from a friend in service; let him be a freeman who wishes to be my master. — Martial

Life is not living, but living in health. — Martial

He who weighs his burdens, can bear them. — Martial

Nothing is more ill-timed than an ill-timed laugh. — Martial

Some good, some so-so, and lots plain bad: that's how a book of poems is made, my Friend. — Martial

A good man doubles the length of his existence; to have lived so as to look back with pleasure on our past existence is to live twice. — Martial

He writes nothing whose writings are not read. — Martial

Whoever makes great presents, expects great presents in return. — Martial

Virtue extends our days: he lives two lives who relives his past with pleasure. — Martial

A vagrant is everywhere at home. — Martial

You crystal break, for fear of breaking it: Careless and careful hands like faults commit. — Martial

The African lions rush to attack bulls; they do not attack butterflies.
[Lat., In tauros Libyci ruunt leones;
Non sunt papilionibus molesti.] — Martial

If pale beans bubble for you in a red earthenware pot, you can often decline the dinners of sumptuous hosts. — Martial

From no place can you exclude the fates.
[Lat., Nullo fata loco possis excludere.] — Martial

If my opinion is of any worth, the fieldfare is the greatest delicacy among birds, the hare among quadrupeds. — Martial

Man loves malice, but not against one-eyed men nor the unfortunate, but against the fortunate and proud. — Martial

Red-haired, black-lipped, club-footed, and blink-eyed; if you're a good man, you're a wonder! — Martial

Why do strong arms fatigue themselves with frivolous dumbbells? To dig a vineyard is worthier exercise for men. — Martial

I do not hate the man, but his vices. — Martial

Do you ask why I am unwilling to marry a rich wife? It is because I am unwilling to be taken to husband by my wife. The mistress of the house should be subordinate to her husband, for in no other way, Priscus, will the wife and husband be on an equality. — Martial

Every epigram should resemble a bee; it should have sting, honey, and brevity. — Martial

They let out on hire their passions and eloquence. [Referring to lawyers.] — Martial

In adversity it is easy to despise life; he is truly brave who can endure a writeched life — Martial

A jar of wine so priceless did not deserve to die. and
Never think of leaving perfume or wines to your heir. Administer these youself and let him have the money. — Martial

Believing hear, what you deserve to hear:
Your birthday as my own to me is dear ...
But yours gives most; for mine did only lend
Me to the world; yours gave to me a friend. — Martial

A novice always behaves with propriety. — Martial

I'm what I seem; not any dyer gave, But nature dyed this colour that I have. — Martial

It is feeling and force of imagination that make us eloquent. — Martial

The present joys of life we doubly taste,
By looking back with pleasure to the past. — Martial

Be not too thick with anybody; your joys will be fewer, and so will pains. — Martial

The shameless Chloe placed on the tombs of her seven husbands the inscription, "The work of Chloe." How could she have expressed herself more plainly? — Martial

There is no glory in otustripping donkeys. — Martial

There is nothing more revolting than an old busybody. — Martial

The bee is enclosed, and shines preserved in amber, so that it seems enshrined in its own nectar. — Martial

When your crowd of attendants so loudly applaud you, Pomponius, it is not you, but your banquet, that is eloquent. — Martial

While an ant was wandering under the shade of the tree of Phaeton, a drop of amber enveloped the tiny insect; thus she, who in life was disregarded, became precious by death. — Martial

The swan murmurs sweet strains with a flattering tongue, itself the singer of its own dirge. — Martial

He who prefers to give Linus the half of what he wishes to borrow, rather than to lend him the whole, prefers to lose only the half. — Martial

Some things are good, some middling, more bad. — Martial

It is as good as second life to be able to look back upon our past life with pleasure — Martial

Our days pass by, and are scored against us. — Martial

Be cheerful, if you are wise. — Martial

If you are poor now, Aemilianus, you will always be poor. Riches are now given to none but the rich. — Martial

That which prevents disagreeable flies from feeding on your repast, was once the proud tail of a splendid bird. — Martial

Fortune gives many too much, but none enough. — Martial

Your seventh wife, Phileros, is now being buried in your field. No man's field brings him greater profit than yours, Phileros. — Martial

Wine and women bring misery. — Martial

I would not miss your face, your neck, your hands, your limbs, your bosom and certain other of your charms. Indeed, not to become boring by naming them all, I could do without you, Chloe, altogether. — Martial

Work divided is in that manner shortened. — Martial

You may envy every one, but no one envies you. — Martial

Be merry if you are wise. — Martial

I do not love thee, Sabidius, nor can I say why; I can only say this, "I do not love thee." — Martial

Of no day can the retrospect cause pain to a good man. — Martial

I have granted you much that you asked: and yet you never cease to ask of me. He who refuses nothing, Atticilla, will soon have nothing to refuse. — Martial

You'll get no laurel crown for outrunning a burrow. — Martial

The flaw which is hidden is deemed greater than it is. — Martial

Make it a point not to be over-fascinating. — Martial

Some are good, some are middling, the most are bad. — Martial

Hidden evils are most dreaded. — Martial

A good man enlarges the term of his own existence. — Martial

Epigrams need no crier, but are content with their own tongue. — Martial

If I remember right, Aelia, you had four teeth; a cough displaced two, another two more. You can now cough without anxiety all the day long. A third cough can find nothing to do in your mouth. — Martial

Gifts are like hooks. — Martial

I wont let a wife lead me to the altar. [I will not have a wife that shall be my master.] — Martial

There is no glory in outstripping donkeys. — Martial

He who thinks that the lives of Priam and of Nestor were long is much deceived and mistaken. Life consists not in living, but in enjoying health. — Martial

Life's not just about being alive, but being well. — Martial

My poems are naughty, but my life is pure. — Martial

If you have any shame, forbear to pluck the beard of a dead lion. — Martial

All your female friends are either old or ugly; nay, more ugly than old women usually are. These you lead about in your train, and drag with you to feasts, porticos and theaters. Thus, Fabulla, you seem handsome, thus you seem young. — Martial

This I ask, is it not madness to kill thyself in order to escape death?
[Lat., Hic rogo non furor est ne moriare mori?] — Martial

Life is not merely to be alive, but to be well. — Martial

Live thy life as it were spoil and pluck the joys that fly. — Martial

It is easy in adversity to despise death; he has real fortitude who dares to live and be wretched. — Martial

Why do I not kiss you, Philaenis? you are bald. Why do I not kiss you, Philaenis? you are carrotty. Why do I not kiss you, Philaenis? you are one-eyed. He who kisses you, Philaenis, sins against nature. — Martial

To have nothing is not poverty.
[Lat., Non est paupertas, Nestor, habere nihil.] — Martial

While you cannot resolve what you are, at last you will be nothing. — Martial

No man is quick enough to enjoy life. — Martial

If you want him to mourn, you had best leave him nothing. — Martial