If you wish to avoid seeing a fool you must first break your looking glass.

To good and true love fear is forever affixed.

If you understand why a monkey in a family is always mocked and harassed, you understand why monks are rejected by all – both old and young.

Plain as a nose in a man’s face.

Wait a second while I take a swig off this bottle: it’s my true and only Helicon, my Caballine fount, my sole Enthusiasm. Here, drinking, I deliberate, I reason, I resolve and conclude. After the epilogue I laugh, I write, I compose, I drink. Ennius drinking would write, writing would drink.

The remedy for thirst? It is the opposite of the one for a dog bite: run always after a dog, he’ll never bite you; drink always before thirst, and it will never overtake you.

It is quite a common and vulgar thing among humans to understand, foresee, know and predict the troubles of others. But oh what a rare thing it is to predict, know, foresee and understand one’s own troubles.

I’d gladly do without a valet. I’m never so well treated as when I’m without a valet.

Don’t limp in front of the lame.

I build only living stones – men.