James Wood, comp. Dictionary of Quotations. 1899.
Publius Syrus
Ad pœnitendum properat, cito qui judicat—He who decides in haste repents in haste.
Ad tristem partem strenua est suspicio—One is quick to suspect where one has suffered harm before.
Aliena nobis, nostra plus aliis placent—That which belongs to others pleases us most; that which belongs to us pleases others more.
Amici vitium ni feras, prodis tuum—Unless you bear with the faults of a friend, you betray your own.
Amicum perdere est damnorum maximum—To lose a friend is the greatest of losses.
Aut amat, aut odit mulier; nil est tertium—A woman either loves or hates; there is no alternative.
Beneficia dare qui nescit injuste petit—He who knows not how to bestow a benefit is unreasonable if he expects one.
Beneficia plura recipit qui scit reddere—He receives most favours who knows how to return them.
Beneficium dignis ubi des, omnes obliges—Where you confer a benefit on those worthy of it, you confer a favour on all.
Bis est gratum quod opus est, si ultro offeras—That help is doubly acceptable which you offer spontaneously when we stand in need.
Bis interimitur qui suis armis perit—He dies twice who perishes by his own weapons or devices.
Bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria—He conquers twice who, at the moment of victory, conquers (i.e., restrains) himself.
Bona nemini hora est, ut non alicui sit mala—There is no hour good for one man that is not bad for another.
Bonarum rerum consuetudo est pessima—Nothing can be worse than being accustomed to good things.
Bonis nocet quisquis pepercerit malis—He does injury to the good who spares the bad.
Bonum est fugienda aspicere in alieno malo—Well if we see in the misfortune of another what we should shun ourselves.
Brevis ipsa vita est, sed longior malis—Life itself is short, but lasts longer than misfortunes.
Caret periculo, qui etiam cum est tutus cavet—He is not exposed to danger who, even when in safety, is on his guard.
Casus quem sæpe transit, aliquando invenit—Misfortune will some time or other overtake him whom it has often passed by.
Citius venit periculum cum contemnitur—When danger is despised, it arrives the sooner.
Comes jucundus in via pro vehiculo est—A pleasant companion on the road is as good as a carriage.
Crudelem medicum intemperans ager facit—A disorderly patient makes a harsh physician.
Deliberando sæpe perit occasio—An opportunity is often lost through deliberation.
Deliberandum est diu quod statuendum est semel—We must take time for deliberation, where we have to determine once for all.
Difficilem oportet aurem habere ad crimina—One should be slow in listening to criminal accusations.
Discipulus est prioris posterior dies—Each succeeding day is the scholar of the preceding.
Etiam celeritas in desiderio, mora est—When we long for a thing, even despatch is delay.
Etiam innocentes cogit mentiri dolor—Pain makes even the innocent forswear themselves.
Etiam oblivisci quod scis, interdum expedit—It is sometimes expedient to forget what you know.
Every day should be spent by us as if it were to be our last.
Every one excels in something in which another fails.
Everything is worth the money that can be got for it.
Fidem qui perdit perdere ultra nil potest—He who loses his honour has nothing else he can lose.
Fidem qui perdit, quo se servet relicuo?—Who loses his good name, with what can he support himself in future?
Fides ut anima, unde abiit, eo nunquam redit—Honour, like life, when once it is lost, is never recovered.
Formosa facies muta commendatio est—A handsome face is a mute recommendation.
Fortuna magna magna domino est servitus—A great fortune is a great slavery to its owner.
Fortuna nimium quem fovet, stultum facit—Fortune makes a fool of him whom she favours too much.
Fortuna obesse nulli contenta est semel—Fortune is not content to do one an ill turn only once.
Fortuna vitrea est, tum cum splendet frangitur—Fortune is like glass; while she shines she is broken.
Friendship is stronger than kindred.
Gain at the expense of reputation should be called loss.
Graviora quædam sunt remedia periculis—Some remedies are worse than the disease.
Gravissimum est imperium consuetudinis—The empire of custom is most mighty.
Heu! quam difficilis gloriæ custodia est!—Alas! how difficult is the custody of glory.
Heu! quam miserum est ab eo lædi, de quo non ausis queri—Alas! how galling is it to be injured by one against whom you dare make no complaint.
His own character is the arbiter of every one’s fortune.
Homo extra est corpus suum cum irascitur—A man when angry is beside himself.
Homo toties moritur, quoties amittit suos—A man dies as often as he loses his relatives.
Improbe Neptunum accusat, qui naufragium iterum facit—He who suffers shipwreck twice is unjust if he throws the blame on Neptune.
In calamitoso risus etiam injuria est—Even to smile at the unfortunate is to do them an injury.
Ingratus unus miseris omnibus nocet—One ungrateful man does an injury to all needy people.
Inopi beneficium bis dat, qui dat celeriter—He confers a twofold benefit on a needy man who does so quickly.
Invidiam ferre aut fortis aut felix potest—Only the brave or the fortunate are able to endure envy.
Invitat culpam qui peccatum præterit—He who overlooks one crime invites the commission of another.
Iratus cum ad se redit, sibi tum irascitur—When an angry man returns to himself, he is angry with himself.
Judex damnatur cum nocens absolvitor—The judge is found guilty when a criminal is acquitted.
Lex universa est quæ jubet nasci et mori—There is a universal law which commands that we shall be born and shall die.
Lingua mali loquax malæ mentis est indicium—An evil tongue is the proof of an evil mind.
Love is incompatible with fear.
Luxuriæ desunt multa, avaritiæ omnia—Luxury is in want of many things; avarice, of everything.
Magno cum periculo custoditur, quod multis placet—That is guarded at great risk which is coveted by many.
Male imperando summum imperium amittitur—By misgovernment the supreme rule is lost.
Male vivunt qui se semper victuros putant—They live ill who think they will live for ever.
Malum est consilium quod mutari non potest—That is bad counsel which cannot be changed.
Malus bonum ubi se simulat, tunc est pessimus—A bad man, when he pretends to be a good one, is worst of all.
Miserrima est fortuna quæ inimico caret—Most wretched is the lot of him who has not an enemy.
Mora omnis odio est, sed facit sapientiam—All delay is hateful, but it produces wisdom.
Multis minatur, qui uni facit injuriam—He who wrongs one threatens many.
Nihil eripit fortuna nisi quod et dedit—Fortune takes nothing away but what she also gave.
Nil peccant oculi, si oculis animus imperet—The eyes don’t err if the mind governs them.
Nil proprium ducas quod mutari potest—Never deem that your own which can be changed.
Nothing can be done at once hastily and prudently.
Pars beneficii est quod petitur si belle neges—To refuse graciously is to confer a favour.
Pars beneficii est quod petitur si cito neges—To refuse a favour quickly is to grant one.
Patience is a remedy for every sorrow.
Poverty is in want of much, avarice of everything.
Repente dives nemo factus est bonus—No good man ever became suddenly rich.
Secrete amicus admone, lauda palam—Advise your friends in private, praise them openly.
Tam deest avaro quod habet, quam quod non habet—The miser is as much in want of that which he has as of that which he has not.
That is a most wretched fortune which is without an enemy.
The miser is as much in want of that which he has as of that which he has not.
Timidus se vocat cautum, parcum sordidus—The coward calls himself cautious, the miser thrifty.
Vel capillus habet umbram suam—Even a hair has its shadow.
Velox consilium sequitur pœnitentia—Repentance generally follows hasty counsels.