History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquity.

Historia vero testis temporum, lux veritatis, vita memoriae, magistra vitae, nuntia vetustatis, qua voce alia nisi oratoris immortalitati commendatur?

Cicero

On Oratory

More information about this quote

Topic

History

Author

Cicero

Source

On Oratory

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Definition

Language

Latin

Time

55 BC 50s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Occupation

Philosopher Politician Writer

From

Italy Europe Roman Republic

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. De Oratore [On the Orator]. c. 55 BC, bk. 2, ch. 9, sect. 36.

Current Citation

Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Cicero: On the Orator, Books I-II, translated by E. W. Sutton and H. Rackham. Harvard University Press, 1948, bk. 2, ch. 9, sect. 36.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Cicero about history: “History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality…”
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A quote by Cicero about history: “History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality…”
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A quote by Cicero about history: “History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illumines reality…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Cicero

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.

Another quote about History

Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.

Karl Marx

The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte

Read The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte at marxists.org
More information about this quote
Topic
History repeating itself History

Author

Karl Marx
Source
The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte
Medium
Essay
Genre
Historical literature Political literature
Language
German
Time
1852 1850s 19th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Marx, Karl. "Der 18te Brumaire des Louis Napoleon [The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon]." Die Revolution [The Revolution], 1852.

Current Citation

Marx, Karl. "The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon." The Political Writings, edited by David Fernbach. Verso, 2019.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

Know thyself.

Thales

Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laërtius

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Read The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Introspection Self-knowledge Self-awareness Wisdom
Speaker
Thales

Author

Diogenes Laërtius
Source
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers
Medium
Presocratic fragment Fragment
Genre
Philosophical literature
Statement Type
Advice
Language
Greek
Time
3rd century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Thales. Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius. c. 240 AD, bk. 1, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Thales. Quoted in The Lives of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius, translated by Pamela Mensch, edited by James Miller. Oxford University Press, 2018, bk. 1, ch. 1.

Another quote originally in Latin

Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.

Baruch Spinoza

Tractatus Politicus

More information about this quote
Topic
Peace

Author

Baruch Spinoza
Source
Tractatus Politicus
Statement Type
Definition
Language
Latin
Time
1677 1670s 17th century
Authentication Score 1
Citation

Spinoza, Baruch. Tractatus Politicus [Political Treatise]. 1677, ch. 5, sect. 4.

Another quote of the following type Definition

A critic is a man who knows the way but can't drive the car.

Kenneth Tynan

More information about this quote
Topic
Critics

Author

Kenneth Tynan
Statement Type
Definition
Language
English
Time
1963 1960s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Tynan, Kenneth. Quoted in "Critic Kenneth Tynan Has Mellowed But Is Still England's Stingingest Gadfly." Written by Godfrey Smith. The New York Times, 9 Jan. 1966.