Sallust Quotes & Sayings

The man who is roused neither by glory nor by danger it is in vain to exhort; terror closes the ears of the mind.
[Lat., Quem neque gloria neque pericula excitant, nequidquam hortere; timor animi auribus officit.] — Sallust

Now these things never happened, but always are. — Sallust

While the body is young and fine, the soul blunders, but as the body grows old it attains its highest power. Again, every good soul uses mind; but no body can produce mind: for how should that which is without mind produce mind? Again, while the soul uses the body as an instrument, it is not in it; just as the engineer is not in his engines (although many engines move without being touched by any one). — Sallust

Each man the architect of his own fate. — Sallust

He that will be angry for anything will be angry for nothing. — Sallust

But at power or wealth, for the sake of which wars, and all kinds of strife, arise among mankind, we do not aim; we desire only our liberty, which no honorable man relinquishes but with his life. — Sallust

If a man is ambitious for power, he can have no better supporters than the poor: They are not worried about their own possessions, since they have none, and whatever will put something in their pockets is right and proper in their eyes. (Jugurthine War 86.3) — Sallust

To have the same likes and dislikes, therein consists the firmest bond of friendship. — Sallust

If the transmigration of a soul takes place into a rational being, it simply becomes the soul of that body. But if the soul migrates into a brute beast, it follows the body outside, as a guardian spirit follows a man. For there could never be a rational soul in an irrational being. — Sallust

Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay. — Sallust

Fortune rules in all things, and advances and depresses things more out of her own will than right and justice. — Sallust

Everything that rises sets, and everything that grows, grows old. — Sallust

All those who offer an opinion on any doubtful point should first clear their minds of every sentiment of dislike, friendship, anger or pity. — Sallust

Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit, and honesty. — Sallust

It is not only spirits who punish the evil, the soul brings itself to judgment: and also it is not right for those who endure for ever to attain everything in a short time: and also, there is need of human virtue. If punishment followed instantly upon sin, men would act justly from fear and have no virtue. — Sallust

No man underestimates the wrongs he suffers; many take them more seriously than is right. — Sallust

To desire the same things and to reject the same things, constitutes true friendship.
[Lat., Idem velle et idem nolle ea demum firma amicitia est.] — Sallust

All this care for the world, we must believe, is taken by the Gods without any act of will or labor. As bodies which possess some power produce their effects by merely existing: e.g. the sun gives light and heat by merely existing; so, and far more so, the providence of the Gods acts without effort to itself and for the good of the objects of its forethought. This solves the problems of the Epicureans , who argue that what is divine neither has trouble itself nor gives trouble to others. — Sallust

If fortune makes a wicked man prosperous and a good man poor, there is no need to wonder. For the wicked regard wealth as everything, the good as nothing. And the good fortune of the bad cannot take away their badness, while virtue alone will be enough for the good. — Sallust

The soul is the captain and ruler of the life of morals. — Sallust

A good man prefers to suffer rather than overcome injustice with evil. — Sallust

Greedy for the property of others, extravagant with his own — Sallust

For men who had easily endured hardship, danger and difficult uncertainty, leisure and riches, though in some ways desirable, proved burdensome and a source of grief. — Sallust

In my opinion it is less shameful for a king to be overcome by force of arms than by bribery. — Sallust

It is a law of human nature that in victory even the coward may boast of his prowess, while defeat injures the reputation even of the brave. — Sallust

They envy the distinction I have won; let them, therefore, envy my toils, my honesty, and the methods by which I gained it. — Sallust

Since we have received everything from the Gods, and it is right to pay the giver some tithe of his gifts, we pay such a tithe of possessions in votive offering, of bodies in gifts of (hair and) adornment, and of life in sacrifices. — Sallust

Not by vows nor by womanish prayers is the help of the
gods obtained; success comes through vigilance, energy,
wise counsel. — Sallust

Do as much as possible, and talk of yourself as little as possible. — Sallust

In my opinion, he only may be truly said to live and enjoy his being who is engaged in some laudable pursuit, and acquires a name by some illustrious action, or useful art. — Sallust

Now the myths represent the Gods themselves and the goodness of the Gods subject always to the distinction of the speakable and the unspeakable, the revealed and the unrevealed, that which is clear and that which is hidden: since, just as the Gods have made the goods of sense common to all, but those of intellect only to the wise, so the myths state the existence of Gods to all, but who and what they are only to those who can understand. — Sallust

The higher your station, the less your liberty. — Sallust

Souls are punished when they have gone forth from the body, some wandering among us, some going to hot or cold places of the earth, some harassed by spirits. Under all circumstances they suffer with the irrational part of their nature, with which they also sinned. For its sake there subsists that shadowy body which is seen about graves, especially the graves of evil livers. — Sallust

Small endeavours obtain strength by unity of action: the most powerful are broken down by discord. — Sallust

In battle it is the cowards who run the most risk; bravery is a rampart of defense. — Sallust

One can ever assume to be what he is not, and to conceal what he is. — Sallust

The poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power. — Sallust

In my own case, who have spent my whole life in the practice of virtue, right conduct from habitual has become natural. — Sallust

Sovereignty is easily preserved by the very arts by which it was originally created. When, however, energy has given place to indifference, and temperance and justice to passion and arrogance, then as the morals change so changes fortune. — Sallust

Fame is the shadow of passion standing in the light — Sallust

That power of the Gods which orders for the good things which are not uniform, and which happen contrary to expectation, is commonly called Fortune, and it is for this reason that the Goddess is especially worshipped in public by cities; for every city consists of elements which are not uniform. — Sallust

All men who would surpass the other animals should do their best not to pass through life silently like the beasts whom nature made prone, obedient to their bellies. — Sallust

No one has become immortal by sloth; nor has any parent prayed that his children should live forever; but rather that they should lead an honorable and upright life.
[Lat., Ignavia nemo immortalis factus: neque quisquam parens liberis, uti aeterni forent, optavit; magis, uti boni honestique vitam exigerent.] — Sallust

It is always easy to begin a war, but very difficult to stop one. — Sallust

Before you act, consider; when you have considered, tis fully time to act. — Sallust

To have the same desires and the same aversion is assuredly a firm bond of friendship. — Sallust

It is always easy enough to take up arms, but very difficult to lay them down; the commencement and the termination of war are notnecessarily in the same hands; even a coward may begin, but the end comes only when the victors are willing. — Sallust

The glory of ancestors sheds a light around posterity; it allows neither good nor bad qualities to remain in obscurity.
[Lat., Majorum gloria posteris lumen est, neque bona neque mala in occulto patitur.] — Sallust

Ambition drove many men to become false; to have one thought locked in the breast, another ready on the tongue. — Sallust

Just to stir things up seemed a great reward in itself. — Sallust

Of the cosmic Gods some make the world be, others animate it, others harmonize it, consisting as it does of different elements; the fourth class keep it when harmonized. — Sallust

No mortal man has ever served at the same time his passions and his best interests. — Sallust

The soul sins therefore because, while aiming at good, it makes mistakes about the good, because it is not primary essence. And we see many things done by the Gods to prevent it from making mistakes and to heal it when it has made them. Arts and sciences, curses and prayers, sacrifices and initiations, laws and constitutions, judgments and punishments, all came into existence for the sake of preventing souls from sinning; and when they are gone forth from the body, Gods and spirits of purification cleanse them of their sins. — Sallust

Most honorable are services rendered to the State; even if they do not go beyond words, they are not to be despised. — Sallust

All who consult on doubtful matters, should be void of hatred, friendship, anger, and pity. — Sallust

The glory of riches and of beauty is frail and transitory; virtue remains bright and eternal.
[Lat., Divitarum et formae gloria fluxa atque fragilis; virtus clara aeternaque habetur.] — Sallust

Everything destroyed is either resolved into the elements from which it came, or else vanishes into not-being. If things are resolved into the elements from which they came, then there will be others: else how did they come into being at all? — Sallust

Get good counsel before you begin; and when you have decided, act promptly. — Sallust

Only a few prefer liberty- the majority seek nothing more than fair masters. — Sallust

To someone seeking power, the poorest man is the most useful. — Sallust

But few prize honour more than money. — Sallust

Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master. — Sallust

We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve. — Sallust

But the case has proved that to be true which Appius says in his songs, that each man is the maker of his own fate. — Sallust

The fame which is based on wealth or beauty is a frail and fleeting thing; but virtue shines for ages with undiminished lustre. — Sallust

Among intellectual pursuits, one of the most useful is the recording of past events. — Sallust

The memory of what others have accomplished kindles in the breasts of noble men a flame that is not quenched until their own prowess has won similar glory and renown. In these degenerate days, however, one cannot find a man who does not seek to rival his ancestors in wealth and extravagance, instead of uprightness and industry. — Sallust

Prosperity tries the souls even of the wise. — Sallust

It is not unlikely, too, that the rejection of God is a kind of punishment: we may well believe that those who knew the Gods and neglected them in one life may in another life be deprived of the knowledge of them altogether. Also those who have worshipped their own kings as gods have deserved as their punishment to lose all knowledge of God. — Sallust

He only seems to me to live, and to make proper use of life, who sets himself some serious work to do, and seeks the credit of a task well and skillfully performed. — Sallust

Souls that have lived in virtue are in general happy, and when separated from the irrational part of their nature, and made clean from all matter, have communion with the gods and join them in the governing of the whole world. Yet even if none of this happiness fell to their lot, virtue itself, and the joy and glory of virtue, and the life that is subject to no grief and no master are enough to make happy those who have set themselves to live according to virtue and have achieved it. — Sallust

Again, if the world is destroyed, it must needs either be destroyed according to nature or against nature. Against nature is impossible, for that which is against nature is not stronger than nature. If according to nature, there must be another nature which changes the nature of the world: which does not appear. — Sallust

Small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord. — Sallust

One may call the world a myth , in which bodies and things are visible, but souls and minds hidden. Besides, to wish to teach the whole truth about the Gods to all produces contempt in the foolish, because they cannot understand, and lack of zeal in the good, whereas to conceal the truth by myths prevents the contempt of the foolish, and compels the good to practice philosophy. — Sallust

The very life which we enjoy is short.
[Lat., Vita ipsa qua fruimur brevis est.] — Sallust

No grief reaches the dead. — Sallust

Ambition breaks the ties of blood, and forgets the obligations of gratitude. — Sallust

Kings are more prone to mistrust the good than the bad; and they are always afraid of the virtues of others. — Sallust

Frequent mobs, seditions, and at last civil wars, became common, while a few leading men on whom the masses were dependent, affected supreme power under the seemly pretence of seeking the good of senate and people; citizens were judged good or bad, without reference to their loyalty to the republic (for all were equally corrupt); but the wealthy and dangerously powerful were esteemed good citizens, because they maintained the existing state of things. — Sallust

By union the smallest states thrive. By discord the greatest are destroyed. — Sallust

The glory that goes with wealth is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal. — Sallust

For harmony makes small states great, while discord undermines the mightiest empires. — Sallust

To like and dislike the same things, this is what makes a solid friendship. — Sallust

It is better to use fair means and fail, than foul and conquer. — Sallust

It is the nature of ambition to make men liars and cheats, to hide the truth in their breasts, and show, like jugglers, another thing in their mouths, to cut all friendships and enmities to the measure of their own interest, and to make a good countenance without the help of good will. — Sallust

Neither the army nor the treasury, but friends, are the true supports of the throne; for friends cannot be collected by force of arms, nor purchased with money; they are the offspring of kindness and sincerity. — Sallust

Necessity makes even the timid brave. — Sallust

But assuredly Fortune rules in all things; she raised to eminence or buries in oblivion everything from caprice rather than from well-regulated principle.
[Lat., Sed profecto Fortuna in omni re dominatur; ea res cunctas ex lubidine magis, quam ex vero, celebrat, obscuratque.] — Sallust

When the prizes fall to the lot of the wicked, you will not find many who
are virtuous for virtue's sake. — Sallust

Think like a man of action, and act like a man of thought. — Sallust

The Romans assisted their allies and friends, and acquired friendships by giving rather than receiving kindness.
[Lat., Sociis atque amicis auxilia portabant Romani, magisque dandis quam accipiundis beneficiis amicitias parabant.] — Sallust

The essences of the Gods never came into existence (for that which always is never comes into existence; and that exists for ever which possesses primary force and by nature suffers nothing): neither do they consist of bodies; for even in bodies the powers are incorporeal. Neither are they contained by space; for that is a property of bodies. Neither are they separate from the first cause nor from one another, just as thoughts are not separate from mind nor acts of knowledge from the soul. — Sallust

Distinguished ancestors shed a powerful light on their descendants, and forbid the concealment either of their merits or of their demerits. — Sallust

A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means. — Sallust

Those most moved to tears by every word of a preacher are generally weak and a rascal when the feelings evaporate. — Sallust

The fact that the stars predict high or low rank for the father of the person whose horoscope is taken, teaches that they do not always make things happen but sometimes only indicate things. For how could things which preceded the birth depend upon the birth? — Sallust

The renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession. — Sallust

It is sweet to surve one country by deeds, and it is not absurd to surve her by words. — Sallust

There were few who preferred honor to money. — Sallust

Every bad precedent originated as a justifiable measure. — Sallust