Marcus Tullius Cicero Quotes

Love is the attempt to form a friendship inspired by beauty.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Time destroys the speculation of men, but it confirms nature.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nature abhors annihilation.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

It is the nature of every person to error, but only the fool perseveres in error.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Fear is not a lasting teacher of duty.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

To some extent I liken slavery to death.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

The harvest of old age is the recollection and abundance of blessing previously secured.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

As I approve of a youth that has something of the old man in him, so I am no less pleased with an old man that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule may be old in body, but can never be so in mind.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Just as the soul fills the body, so God fills the world. Just as the soul bears the body, so God endures the world. Just as the soul sees but is not seen, so God sees but is not seen. Just as the soul feeds the body, so God gives food to the world.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

The pursuit, even of the best things, ought to be calm and tranquil.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

In a republic this rule ought to be observed: that the majority should not have the predominant power.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Great is the power of habit. It teaches us to bear fatigue and to despise wounds and pain.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Liberty consists in the power of doing that which is permitted by the law.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

I prefer tongue-tied knowledge to ignorant loquacity.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

True nobility is exempt from fear.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

This is the truth: as from a fire aflame thousands of sparks come forth, even so from the Creator an infinity of beings have life and to him return again.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

In everything truth surpasses the imitation and copy.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

We should not be so taken up in the search for truth, as to neglect the needful duties of active life; for it is only action that gives a true value and commendation to virtue.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

A man of courage is also full of faith.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Silence is one of the great arts of conversation.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly. Nothing is so praiseworthy, nothing so clearly shows a great and noble soul, as clemency and readiness to forgive.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Brevity is a great charm of eloquence.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

It is foolish to tear one's hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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

Confidence is that feeling by which the mind embarks in great and honorable courses with a sure hope and trust in itself.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

A friend is, as it were, a second self.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

What sweetness is left in life, if you take away friendship? Robbing life of friendship is like robbing the world of the sun. A true friend is more to be esteemed than kinsfolk.

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero