50s BC

Explore 26 quotes from the 50s BC

Cui bono?

Cicero

Pro Milone

More information about this quote

Topic

Incentives

Speaker

Cicero

Source

Pro Milone

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Statement Type

Question

Language

Latin

Time

52 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Milone [In Defense of Milo]. c. 52 BC, sect. 32.

Current Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Milone [For Milo], translated by D. H. Berry. Oxford University Press, 2009, sect. 32.

Laws are silent in time of war.

Cicero

Pro Milone

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Topic

Rule of law Law Legal theory Political theory War

Speaker

Cicero

Source

Pro Milone

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

Latin

Time

52 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Milone [In Defense of Milo]. c. 52 BC, sect. 11.

Current Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Milone [For Milo], translated by D. H. Berry. Oxford University Press, 2009, sect. 11.

Life is one long struggle in the dark.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Nature of life Ignorance

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 2, l. 54.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 2, l. 54.

And life is given to none freehold, but it is leasehold for all.

Lucretius Carus

De Rerum Natura

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Topic

Nature of life Life

Author

Lucretius Carus

Source

De Rerum Natura

Medium

Poem

Genre

Philosophical literature Didactic poem

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 3, l. 971.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 3, l. 971.

The ring on the finger becomes thin beneath by wearing, the fall of dripping water hollows the stone.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Effects of time Persistence

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 1, l. 312.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 1, l. 312.

A tree cannot grow in the sky, nor clouds be in the deep sea, nor fish live in the fields, nor can blood be in sticks nor sap in rocks.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Nature

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 3, l. 784.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 3, l. 784.

For there is nothing that happens on earth that is more welcome to that supreme God who rules the whole universe than the institutions and congregations of men united by a sense of right, which are called states.

Cicero

On the Commonwealth

More information about this quote

Topic

Government Politics

Author

Cicero

Source

On the Commonwealth

Medium

Dialogue

Genre

Political literature

Language

Latin

Time

51 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. De re publica [On the Commonwealth]. c. 51 BC, bk. 6, ch. 13.

Current Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. "The Republic." The Republic and The Laws, translated by Niall Rudd. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 6, ch. 13.

To like and dislike the same things, that is indeed true friendship.

Catiline

Quoted in The War of Catiline, by Sallust

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Topic

Nature of friendship Friendship

Speaker

Catiline

Author

Sallust

Source

The War of Catiline

Genre

Historical literature Political literature

Language

Latin

Time

50 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Catiline. Quoted in Bellum Catilinae [War of Catiline], written by Sallust. c. 44 BC.

Current Citation

Catiline. Quoted in "Cataline's Conspiracy." Cataline's Conspiracy, The Jugurthine War, Histories, written by Sallust and translated by William W. Batstone. Oxford University Press, 2010.

Lovely it is, when the winds are churning up the waves on the great sea, to gaze out from the land on the great efforts of someone else; not because it's an enjoyable pleasure that somebody is in difficulties, but because it's lovely to realize what troubles you are yourself spared.

Lucretius Carus

De Rerum Natura

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Topic

Ocean and sea Safety

Author

Lucretius Carus

Source

De Rerum Natura

Medium

Poem

Genre

Philosophical literature Didactic poem

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 2, l. 1.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 2, l. 1.

Pleasant it is, when over a great sea the winds trouble the waters, to gaze from shore upon another's great tribulation: not because any man's troubles are a delectable joy, but because to perceive what ills you are free from yourself is pleasant.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Misfortunes of others

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 2, l. 1.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 2, l. 1.

What a woman says to her ardent lover should be written in wind and running water.

Catullus

Carmina

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Topic

Trustworthiness of women

Author

Catullus

Source

Carmina

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

54 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Catullus, Gaius Valerius. Carmina. c. 1481, no. 70, l. 3.

Current Citation

Cattulus, Gaius Valerius. The Poems of Catullus, translated by Guy Lee. Oxford University Press, 2009, no. 70, l. 3.

The thing which is the most outstanding and chiefly to be desired by all healthy and good and well-off persons, is leisure with honor.

Cicero

Pro Sestio

More information about this quote

Topic

Leisure Honor

Author

Cicero

Source

Pro Sestio

Medium

Speech

Language

Latin

Time

56 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Pro Sestio [In Defense of Publius Sestio]. c. 56 BC, Rome, Italy.

Nothing can be created from nothing.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Creation Nothingness

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Precepts and axioms

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 1, l. 155.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 1, l. 155.

Never trust her at any time when the calm sea shows her false alluring smile.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Ocean and sea Appearance vs. reality

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 2, l. 558.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 2, l. 558.

Therefore death is nothing to us, it matters not one jot, since the nature of the mind is understood to be mortal.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Facing death Fear of death Death

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 3, l. 830.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 3, l. 830.

Death therefore is nothing to us nor does it concern us a scrap, seeing that the nature of the spirit we possess is something mortal.

Lucretius Carus

De Rerum Natura

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Topic

Materialism (philosophy) The soul Death

Author

Lucretius Carus

Source

De Rerum Natura

Medium

Poem

Genre

Philosophical literature Didactic poem

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 3, l. 830.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 3, l. 830.

In a short while the generations of living creatures are changed, and like runners relay the torch of life.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Circle of life Life and death Change

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

50 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 2, l. 75.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 2, l. 75.

So it is more useful to watch a man in times of peril, and in adversity to discern what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off, reality remains.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Tests of character Character

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 3, l. 55.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 3, l. 55.

I hate and I love: why I do so you may well ask. I do not know, but I feel it happen and am in agony.

Catullus

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Topic

Love and hate Dangers of love Love

Author

Catullus

Source

Carmina

Medium

Poem

Language

Latin

Time

51 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Catullus, Gaius Valerius. Carmina. c. 1481, no. 85.

Current Citation

Cattulus, Gaius Valerius. The Poems of Catullus, translated by Guy Lee. Oxford University Press, 2009, no. 85.

Material objects are of two kinds, atoms and components of atoms. The atoms themselves cannot be swamped by any force, for they are preserved indefinitely by their absolute solidity.

Lucretius

On the Nature of Things

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Topic

Atomism Scientific theory

Author

Lucretius

Source

On the Nature of Things

Medium

Poem

Genre

Didactic poem Philosophical literature

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. De Rerum Natura [On the Nature of Things]. c. 55 BC, bk. 1, l. 518.

Current Citation

Carus, Titus Lucretius. The Nature of Things, translated by Alicia Stallings. Penguin Classics, 2007, bk. 1, l. 518.