Quintilian Quotes

Famous Quotes by Quintilian

• "One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy. "  —Quintilian on Ability
• "Everything that has a beginning comes to an end. "  —Quintilian on Beginnings
• "In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept. "  —Quintilian on Experience
• "Where evil habits are once settled, they are more easily broken than mended. "  —Quintilian on Habit
• "Sow an act and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny."  —Quintilian on Habit
• "We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty. "  —Quintilian on Idleness
• "That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind."  —Quintilian on Inspirational
• "That laughter costs too much which is purchased by the sacrifice of decency."  —Quintilian on Laughter
• "A liar should have a good memory."  —Quintilian on Lying
• "Men of quality are in the wrong to undervalue, as they often do, the practise of a fair and quick hand in writing; for it is no immaterial accomplishment. "  —Quintilian on Pen
• "If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him. "  —Quintilian on Pen
• "The prosperous can not easily form a right idea of misery. "  —Quintilian on Prosperity
• "For it would have been better that man should have been born dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor. "  —Quintilian on Providence
• "For comic writers charge Socrates with making the worse appear the better reason. "  —Quintilian on Reason
• "Men, even when alone, lighten their labors by song, however rude it may be. "  —Quintilian on Songs
• "To swear, except when necessary, is becoming to an honorable man. "  —Quintilian on Swearing

Wikiquote Article on Quintilian

Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (c.35 â" c.100), was a Roman rhetorician. His De Institutione Oratoria was widely referred to in medieval schools of rhetoric and in Renaissance writing.

Sourced

De Institutione Oratoria

• We give to necessity the praise of virtue.
  • Book I, 8, line 14
• A liar should have a good memory.
  • Book IV, 2, line 91
• Vain hopes are often like the dreams of those who wake.
  • Book VI, 2, line 30
• Pectus est enim, quod disertos facit.
  • Translation: For it is feeling and force of imagination that makes us eloquent.
  • Book X 7, line 15
• Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.
  • Book X, 7, line 21
• "We should not write so that it is possible for [the reader] to understand us, but so that it is impossible for him to misunderstand us."
  • Book VIII, 2, 24

Attributed

• It is much easier to try one's hand at many things than to concentrate one's powers on one thing.
• Nature herself has never attempted to effect great changes rapidly.
• Damnant quod non intellegunt.
  • Translation: They condemn what they do not understand.

External links

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Quintilian