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Marcus Tullius Cicero

88 quotes

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC) was a Roman statesman, orator, lawyer, and philosopher who is widely considered one of Rome's greatest speakers and prose stylists. His writings on politics, law, and philosophy deeply influenced the development of European languages and ideas about republican government.

“Knowledge which is divorced from justice, may be called cunning rather than wisdom.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Knowledge

All Quotes by Marcus Tullius Cicero

“Peace is liberty in tranquillity.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Peace

“The only excuse for war is that we may live in peace unharmed.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Peace

“The rule of friendship means there should be mutual sympathy between them, each supplying what the other lacks and trying to benefit the other, always using friendly and sincere words.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Friendship

“Freedom is a possession of inestimable value.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Freedom

“Great is our admiration of the orator who speaks with fluency and discretion.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Great

“True nobility is exempt from fear.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Fear

“Brevity is the best recommendation of speech, whether in a senator or an orator.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Best

“What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Freedom

“People do not understand what a great revenue economy is.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Great

“So near is falsehood to truth that a wise man would do well not to trust himself on the narrow edge.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Trust

“Justice consists in doing no injury to men decency in giving them no offense.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Men

“Brevity is a great charm of eloquence.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Great

“The study and knowledge of the universe would somehow be lame and defective were no practical results to follow.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Knowledge

“Old age: the crown of life, our play's last act.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Age

“Freedom is a man's natural power of doing what he pleases, so far as he is not prevented by force or law.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Freedom

“Those wars are unjust which are undertaken without provocation. For only a war waged for revenge or defense can be just.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

War

“In everything truth surpasses the imitation and copy.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Truth

“The long time to come when I shall not exist has more effect on me than this short present time, which nevertheless seems endless.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Time

“Fear is not a lasting teacher of duty.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Fear

“The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid by necessity and the brute by instinct.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

Experience