1,226 Quotes by Marcus Tullius Cicero

It is not easy to distinguish between true and false affection, unless there occur one of those crises in which, as gold is tried by fire, so a faithful friendship may be tested by danger.

The foundation of justice is good faith.

Nothing in oratory is more important than to win for the orator the favour of his hearer, and to have the latter so affected as to be swayed by something resembling an impulse of the spirit impetu quodam animi or emotion perturbatione, rather than by judgment or deliberation. For men decide far more problems by hate, or love, or lust, or rage, or sorrow, or joy, or hope, or fear, or illusion, or some other inward emotion aliqua permotione mentis, than by reality or authority, or any legal standard, or judicial precedent or statute.

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

An innocent man, if accused, can be acquitted; a guilty man, unless accused, cannot be condemned. It is, however, more advantageous to absolve an innocent than not to prosecute a guilty man.

Though laughter is allowable, a horse-laugh is abominable.

Apollo, sacred guard of earth's true core, Whence first came frenzied, wild prophetic word...

We are not born, we do not live for ourselves alone; our country, our friends, have a share in us.

I will go further, and assert that nature without culture can often do more to deserve praise than culture without nature.