2nd century

Explore 68 quotes from the 2nd century

Every instant of time is a pinprick of eternity.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Eternity Time

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 6.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 6.

Old to grow, but ever learning.

Solon

Quoted in Plutarch's Lives, by Plutarch

Buy Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 at Amazon Buy Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 at Amazon
Read Plutarch's Lives at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Learning Wisdom Aging Old age

Speaker

Solon

Author

Plutarch

Source

Solon Plutarch's Lives

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

119 110s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Plutarch. Βίοι Παράλληλοι [Parallel Lives]. Rome, 1470.

Only two things does he anxiously wish for-bread and circuses.

Juvenal

Satires

On the modern (at that time) Roman citizen.

Buy the Satires at Amazon Buy the Satires at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

The masses Entertainment Purpose of life Decline of civilization

Author

Juvenal

Source

Satires

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

127 120s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Juvenal. Satirae [Satires]. c. 127, satire 10.

Current Citation

Juvenal. The Satires, translated by Niall Rudd. Oxford University Press, 2008, satire 10.

The traveler with nothing on him sings in the robber’s face.

Juvenal

Satires

Buy the Satires at Amazon Buy the Satires at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Traveling lightly Travel

Author

Juvenal

Source

Satires

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages

Language

Latin

Time

2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Juvenal. Satirae [Satires]. c. 127, satire 10.

Current Citation

Juvenal. The Satires, translated by Niall Rudd. Oxford University Press, 2008, satire 10.

Be like a headland of rock on which the waves break incessantly: but it stands fast and around it the seething of the waters sinks to rest.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Steadfastness Dependability Inner strength Courage

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Advice Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 4.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 4.

How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?

Epictetus

The Enchiridion

Read The Enchiridion at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Author

Epictetus

Source

The Enchiridion

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Question

Language

Greek

Time

135 130s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Epictetus. Ἐγχειρίδιον Ἐπικτήτου, Enkheirídion Epiktḗtou [Enchiridion of Epictetus]. c. 125 CE, ch. 51.

Current Citation

Epictetus. Enchiridion, translated by George Long. Dover Publications, 2004, ch. 51.

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.

Tertullian

More information about this quote

Topic

Martyrs The Church Christianity

Author

Tertullian

Source

Apologeticus

Genre

Religious literature

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Latin

Time

197 190s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 0

Citation

Tertullian. Apologeticum [Apologeticus]. c. 197, ch. 50, sect. 13.

The people that once bestowed commands, consulships, legions, and all else, now concerns itself no more, and longs eagerly for just two things-bread and circuses!

Juvenal

Satires

Buy the Satires at Amazon Buy the Satires at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Decline of civilization Decadence

Author

Juvenal

Source

Satires

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

127 120s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Juvenal. Satirae [Satires]. c. 127, satire 10.

Current Citation

Juvenal. The Satires, translated by Niall Rudd. Oxford University Press, 2008, satire 10.

If thy brother wrongs thee, remember not so much his wrong-doing, but more than ever that he is thy brother.

Epictetus

The Enchiridion

Read The Enchiridion at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Brothers Friendship Forgiveness

Author

Epictetus

Source

The Enchiridion

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

135 130s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Epictetus. Ἐγχειρίδιον Ἐπικτήτου, Enkheirídion Epiktḗtou [Enchiridion of Epictetus]. c. 125 CE, ch. 43.

Current Citation

Epictetus. Enchiridion, translated by George Long. Dover Publications, 2004, ch. 43.

Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Words vs. actions Taking action Self-improvement Personal growth

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 10.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 10.

I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.

Caesar Augustus

Quoted in Lives of the Caesars, by Suetonius

Buy The Lives of the Caesars at Amazon Buy The Lives of the Caesars at Amazon
Read The Life of Caesar Augustus at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Rome

Speaker

Caesar Augustus

Author

Suetonius

Source

Lives of the Caesars

Medium

Biography

Genre

Historical literature

Statement Type

Boast

Language

Latin

Time

121 120s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Augustus, Caesar. Quoted in De vita Caesarum [About the Life of the Caesars], written by Suetonius. c. 121.

Current Citation

Augustus, Caesar. Quoted in The Lives of the Caesars, written by Suetonius, translated by Catharine Edwards. Oxford University Press, 2009.

Mankind have been created for the sake of one another.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Interconnectedness of all people Man as social animal

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 8.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 8.

Love the little trade which you have learned, and be content with it.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Vocation Doing a good job Doing one's job

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 4.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 4.

What is not good for the swarm is not good for the bee.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Individual vs. the collective

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 6.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 6.

Travel light and you can sing in the robber's face.

Juvenal

Satires

Buy the Satires at Amazon Buy the Satires at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Travel

Author

Juvenal

Source

Satires

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Latin

Time

127 120s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Juvenal. Satirae [Satires]. c. 127, satire 10.

Current Citation

Juvenal. The Satires, translated by Niall Rudd. Oxford University Press, 2008, satire 10.

We all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Loving oneself What other people think

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 12.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 12.

When the candles are out all women are fair.

Plutarch

Moralia

More information about this quote

Topic

Sex

Author

Plutarch

Source

Moralia

Medium

Essay

Language

Greek

Time

100 100s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plutarch. "Γαμικὰ παραγγέλματα [Advice to Bride and Groom]." Ἠθικά Ethika [The Moralia]. c. 100 AD.

Current Citation

Plutarch. "Advice to Bride and Groom." Moralia, translated by Frank Cole Babbitt. Vol. 2, Harvard University Press, 1928.

Those who aim at great deeds must also suffer greatly.

Marcus Licinus Crassus

Quoted in Plutarch's Lives, by Plutarch

Buy Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 at Amazon Buy Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Price of greatness Greatness

Speaker

Marcus Licinus Crassus

Author

Plutarch

Source

Plutarch's Lives

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

119 110s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Crassus. Quoted in "Crassus." Parallel Lives by Plutarch. c. 2nd century BC, ch. 26.

Current Citation

Crassus. Quoted in "Crassus." Parallel Lives by Plutarch. Oxford University Press, 2009, ch. 26.

Nowhere can a man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Inner life Inner peace Solitude

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 4.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 4.

’Tis very dishonourable in life, that the soul should fail and desert its duty; while the body can hold out, and sustain its part.

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations

Buy Meditations at Amazon Buy Meditations at Amazon
Read Meditations at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Giving up Body and soul The soul

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Medium

Personal journal

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

180 180s 2nd century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. c. 180, bk. 6.

Current Citation

Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, edited and translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics, 2015, bk. 6.