Quintilian Quotes

• (Slaughter) means blood and iron. [Lat., Coedes videtur significare sanguinem et ferrum.]

  Quintilian

  War   Mean   Blood  

  4370

• When we cannot hope to win, it is an advantage to yield.

  Quintilian

  Winning   Yield   Advantage  

  2400

• The pretended admission of a fault on our part creates an excellent impression.

  Quintilian

  Faults   Brilliant   Excellent  

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.1829, Delphi Classics

  2043

• Everything that has a beginning comes to an end.

  Quintilian

  Ends  

  "De Institutione Oratoria". V. 10,

  3509

• Where evil habits are once settled, they are more easily broken than mended.

  Quintilian

  Broken Heart   Evil   Broken Promises  

  "Institutio Oratoria". Textbook by Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, I, 3, 3,

  4583

• One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.

  Quintilian

  Natural   Capacity   Efficacy  

  Quintilian (1805). “Quintilian's institutes of eloquence ...”, p.7

  373

• If you direct your whole thought to work itself, none of the things which invade eyes or ears will reach the mind.

  Quintilian

  Work   Eye   Mind  

  3186

• A Woman who is generous with her money is to be praised; not so, if she is generous with her person

  Quintilian

  Persons   Ifs   Generous  

  Quintilian (2001). “The Orator's Education: Books 3-5”

  1373

• A liar should have a good memory.

  Quintilian

  Motivational   Honesty   Memories  

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.1471, Delphi Classics

  1435

• Though ambition may be a fault in itself, it is often the mother of virtues.

  Quintilian

  Mother   Ambition   Vices  

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.26, Delphi Classics

  2141

• A great part of art consists in imitation. For the whole conduct of life is based on this: that what we admire in others we want to do ourselves.

  Quintilian

  Art   Want   Life Is  

  665

• One should aim not at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.

  Quintilian

  Writing   Impossible   Language  

  3003

• In a crowd, on a journey, at a banquet even, a line of thought can itself provide its own seclusion.

  Quintilian

  Journey   Ideas   Crowds  

  1534

• A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue.

  Quintilian

  Laughing   Cost   Too Much  

  "Institutio Oratoria". Textbook by Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, VI. 3. 5,

  1982

• Fear of the future is worse than one's present fortune.

  Quintilian

  Life   Fortune   Fear Of The Future  

  "De Institutione Oratoria", XII. 5, as quoted in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations, p. 289-93, 1922.

  4155

• To swear, except when necessary, is becoming to an honorable man. [Lat., In totum jurare, nisi ubi necesse est, gravi viro parum convenit.]

  Quintilian

  Men   Honorable Man   Becoming  

  516

• As regards parents, I should like to see them as highly educated as possible, and I do not restrict this remark to fathers alone.

  Quintilian

  Father   Pregnancy   Parent  

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.18, Delphi Classics

  3401

• It is the nurse that the child first hears, and her words that he will first attempt to imitate.

  Quintilian

  Children   Nurse   Firsts  

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.17, Delphi Classics

  920

• When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield.

  Quintilian

  Hard Work   Yield   Defeat  

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.319, Delphi Classics

  1652

• While we are making up our minds as to when we shall begin. the opportunity is lost.

  Quintilian

  Opportunity   Mind   Lost  

  3681

• It is worth while too to warn the teacher that undue severity in correcting faults is liable at times to discourage a boy's mind from effort.

  Quintilian

  Teacher   Boys   Effort  

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.78, Delphi Classics

  1117

• A man who tries to surpass another may perhaps succeed in equaling inot actually surpassing him, but one who merely follows can never quite come up with him: a follower, necessarily, is always behind.

  Quintilian

  Men   Trying   Followers  

  2203

• The mind is exercised by the variety and multiplicity of the subject matter, while the character is moulded by the contemplation of virtue and vice.

  Quintilian

  Character   Mind   Vices  

  Quintilian (1953). “The Instituto Oratoria of Quintilian”

  531

• That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.

  Quintilian

  Inspirational   Mind   Ears  

  3693

• Give bread to a stranger, in the name of the universal brotherhood which binds together all men under the common father of nature.

  Quintilian

  Father   Men   Names  

  2349

• Suffering itself does less afflict the senses than the apprehension of suffering.

  Quintilian

  Suffering   Doe   Anticipation  

  2055

• In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept.

  Quintilian

  Experience   Valuable  

  "De Institutione Oratoria" by Marcus Fabius Quintilianus as reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations, p. 244-45., 1922.

  3021

• Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.

  Quintilian

  Useless   Natural Gifts   Natural  

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.17, Delphi Classics

  2227

• Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.

  Quintilian

  Wise   Wish   Fool  

  "Institutes of Oratory (Volume X)". Book by Quintilian, 95 CE.

  4760

• The soul languishing in obscurity contracts a kind of rust, or abandons itself to the chimera of presumption; for it is natural for it to acquire something, even when separated from any one.

  Quintilian

  Soul   Obscurity   Rust  

  2827

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