James Wood, comp. Dictionary of Quotations. 1899.
Phædrus
Ad perniciem solet agi sinceritas—Honesty is often goaded to ruin.
Amittit famam qui se indignis comparat—He loses repute who compares himself with unworthy people.
Amittit merito proprium, qui alienum appetit—He who covets what is another’s, deservedly loses what is his own. (Moral of the fable of the dog and the shadow).
Atrocitatis mansuetudo est remedium—Gentleness is the antidote for cruelty.
Cautis pericla prodesse aliorum solent—Prudent people are ever ready to profit from the experiences of others.
Covetousness is rich, while modesty goes barefoot.
Dominus videt plurimum in rebus suis—The master sees best in his own affairs.
Ego primam tollo, nominor quoniam Leo—I carry off the first share because my name is Lion.In the fable of the lion a-hunting with weaker companions.
Est aviditas dives, et pauper pudor—Covetousness is rich, while modesty is poor.
Fictis meminerit nos jocari fabulis—Be it remembered that we are amusing you with tales of fiction.
Formosos sæpe inveni pessimos, / Et turpi facie multos cognovi optimos—I have often found good-looking people to be very base, and I have known many ugly people most estimable.
Fructu non foliis arborem æstima—Judge of a tree from its fruit, not from its leaves.
Gratis anhelans, multa agendo nihil agens—Out of breath for nothing, making much ado about nothing.
Habent insidias hominis blanditiæ mali—Under the fair words of a bad man there lurks some treachery.
Hominem quæro—I am in quest of a man.After Diogenes.
Homo doctus in se semper divitias habet—A learned man has always riches in himself.
Humanitati qui se non accommodat, / Plerumque pœnas oppetit superbiæ—He who does not conform to courtesy generally pays the penalty of his haughtiness.
Humiles laborant ubi potentes dissident—The humble are in danger when those in power disagree.
Id demum est homini turpe, quod meruit pati—That only brings disgrace on a man which he has deserved to suffer.
In principatu commutando, civium / Nil præter domini nomen mutant pauperes—In a change of masters the poor change nothing except their master’s name.
Inops, potentem dum vult imitari, perit—An incapable man who attempts to imitate a capable is sure to come to grief.
Laus magna natis obsequi parentibus—Great praise is the meed of children who respect the wishes of their parents.
Mecum facile redeo in gratiam—I easily recover my good-will myself.
Nil spernat auris, nec tamen credat statim—Let the ear despise nothing, nor yet be too ready to believe.
Nisi utile est quod facias, stulta est gloria—Unless what we do is useful, our glorying is vain.
Nunquam est fidelis cum potente societas—An alliance with a powerful man is never safe.
O quanta species cerebrum non habet!—Oh, that such beauty should be devoid of brains!
Peras imposuit Jupiter nobis duas; / Propriis repletam vitiis post tergum dedit. / Alienis ante pectus suspendit gravem—Jupiter has laid two wallets on us; he has placed one behind our backs filled with our own faults, and has hung another before, heavy with the faults of other people.
Periculosum est credere et non credere; / Ergo exploranda est veritas, multum prius / Quam stulta prave judicet sententia—It is equally dangerous to believe and to disbelieve; therefore search diligently into the truth rather than suffer an erroneous impression to pervert your judgment.
Plus vetustis nam favet / Invidia mordax, quam bonis præsentibus—Stinging envy is more merciful to good things that are old than such as are new.
Quicunque turpi fraude semel innotuit, / Etiamsi verum dicit, amittit fidem—Whoever has once been detected in a shameful fraud is not believed even if he speak the truth.
Re secunda fortis, dubia fugax—In prosperity courageous, in danger timid.
Regnare nolo, liber ut non sim mihi—I would not be a king and forfeit my liberty.
Sæpe ingenia calamitate intercidunt—Genius often goes to waste through misfortune.
Sua cuique quum sit animi cogitatio, / Colorque proprius—Since each man has a way of his own of thinking, and a peculiar temper.
Sua quisque exempla debet æquo animo pati—Every one ought to bear patiently with what is after his own example.
Success tempts many to their ruin.
Varietas delectat—Variety is charming.
Virtutis expers verbis jactans gloriam / Ignotos fallit, notis est derisui—A fellow who brags of his prowess and is devoid of courage, imposes on strangers but is the jest of those who know him.
Witticisms please as long as we keep them within bounds, but pushed to excess they cause offence.