Plautus Quotations | Page 3

Riches, rightly used, breed delight.

Fortune moulds and circumscribes human affairs as she pleases. [Lat., Fortuna humana fingit artatque ut lubet.]

It is a great plague to be too handsome a man. [Lat., Nimia est miseria nimis pulchrum esse hominem.]

The Bell never rings of itself; unless some one handles or moves it it is dumb. [Lat., Nunquam aedepol temere tinniit tintinnabulum; Nisi quis illud tractat aut movet, mutum est, tacet.]

Arrogance is the outgrowth of prosperity.

Smooth words in place of gifts. [Lat., Dicta docta pro datis.]

Tattletales, and those who listen to their slander, by my good will, should all be hanged. The former by their tongues, the latter by their ears. [Lat., Homines qui gestant, quique auscultant crimina, si meo arbitratu liceat, omnes pendeant gestores linguis, auditores auribus.]

Besides that, when elsewhere the harvest of wheat is most abundant, there it comes up less by one-fourth than what you have sowed. There, methinks, it were a proper place for men to sow their wild oats, where they would not spring up. [Lat., Post id, frumenti quum alibi messis maxima'st Tribus tantis illi minus reddit, quam obseveris. Heu! istic oportet obseri mores malos, Si in obserendo possint interfieri.]

Know not what you know, and see not what you see. [Lat., Etiam illud quod scies nesciveris; Ne videris quod videris.]

To blow and to swallow at the same time is not easy; I cannot at the same time be here and also there. [Lat., Simul flare sorbereque haud facile Est: ego hic esse et illic simul, haud potui.]

Things unhoped for happen oftener than things we desire.

We should try to succeed by merit, not by favor. He who does well will always have patrons enough. [Lat., Virtute ambire oportet, non favitoribus. Sat habet favitorum semper, qui recte facit.]

In everything the middle course is best: all things in excess bring trouble to men. [Lat., Modus omnibus in rebus, soror, optimum est habitu; Nimia omnia nimium exhibent negotium hominibus ex se.]

Modesty becomes a young man. [Lat., Adolescentem verecundum esse decet.]

He who would eat the kernel, must crack the shell. [Lat., Qui e nuce nucleum esse vult, frangat nucem.]

Badly gotten, badly spent. [Lat., Male partum, male disperit.]

If you spend a thing you can not have it. [Lat., Non tibi illud apparere si sumas potest.]

Poverty is a thorough instructress in all the arts. [Lat., Paupertas . . . omnes artes perdocet.]

No man has perpetual good fortune. [Lat., Nulli est homini perpetuum bonum.]

Man's fortune is usually changed at once; life is changeable. [Lat., Actutum fortunae solent mutarier; varia vita est.]

He who accuses another of wrong should look well into his own conduct.

A good disposition I far prefer to gold; for gold is the gift of fortune; goodness of disposition is the gift of nature. I prefer much rather to be called good than fortunate. [Lat., Bono ingenio me esse ornatam, quam auto multo mavolo. Aurum fortuna invenitur, natura ingenium donum. Bonam ego, quam beatam me esse nimio dici mavolo.

Food of Acheron. (Grave.) [Lat., Pabulum Acheruntis.]

I have lost my oil and my labor. (Labored in vain.) [Lat., Oleum et operam perdidi.]

You little know what a ticklish thing it is to go to law. [Lat., Nescis tu quam meticulosa res sit ire ad judicem.]

Man is a wolf to man. [Lat., Homo homini lupus.]

A well-balanced mind is the best remedy against affliction.

To snatch the worm from the trap.

To waste one's breath; to pump into a sieve.

A mouse relies not solely on one hole.

Are you not accustomed to look at home, when you abuse others?

Fire is next akin to smoke.

Give assistance, and receive thanks lighter than a feather: injure a man, and his wrath will be like lead.

Good things soon find a purchaser.

He can do most who has most power.

And so it happens oft in many instances; more good is done without our knowledge than by us intended. [Lat., Itidemque ut saepe jam in multis locis, Plus insciens quis fecit quam prodens boni.]

What is thine is mine, and all mine is thine. [Lat., Quod tuum'st meum'st; omne meum est autem tuum.]

In wondrous ways do the gods make sport with men. [Lat., Miris modis Di ludos faciunt hominibus.]

He is a friend who, in dubious circumstances, aids in deeds when deeds are necessary.

He who bravely endures evils, in time reaps the reward.

There is indeed a God that hears and sees whate'er we do. [Lat., Est profecto deus, qui, quae nos gerimus, auditque et videt.]

The gods give that man some profit to whom they are propitious. [Lat., Cui homini dii propitii sunt aliquid objiciunt lucri.]

Let deeds correspond with words. [Lat., Dictis facta suppetant.]

I have taken a wife, I have sold my sovereignty for a dowry. [Lat., Uxorem accepi, dote imperium vendidi.]

The gods confound the man who first found out How to distinguish hours! Confound him, too, Who in this place set up a sun-dial, To cut and hack my days so wretchedly Into small portions.

If you are wise, be wise; keep what goods the gods provide you.

Your wealth is where your friends are

There are occasions when it is undoubtedly better to incur loss than to make gain.

No blessing lasts forever.

Courage is its own reward.

For nobody is curious, who isn't malevolent.

I would rather be adorned by beauty of character than jewels. Jewels are the gift of fortune, while character comes from within.

That man is worthless who knows how to receive a favor, but not how to return one.

Courage in danger is half the battle.

Let deeds match words.

Flying without feathers is not easy; my wings have no feathers.

Good merchandise, even hidden, soon finds buyers.

Things which you do not hope happen more frequently than things which you do hope.

Conquered, we conquer.

Practice yourself what you preach.

No man is wise enough by himself.

Where there are friends there is wealth.