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The Moral Sayings of Publius Syrus: A Roman Slave
The Moral Sayings of Publius A Roman Slave is a book that was originally published in 1855. The book is a collection of moral sayings and aphorisms that were attributed to Publius Syrus, a Roman slave who lived during the first century BC. The book contains over 600 sayings that cover a wide range of topics, including virtue, wisdom, friendship, and love. The sayings are concise and pithy, and they are intended to provide readers with guidance on how to live a virtuous and fulfilling life. The book is considered a classic of Roman literature and has been widely read and studied for centuries. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Roman philosophy, ethics, or literature, and it provides a fascinating glimpse into the mind and worldview of one of Rome's most famous slaves.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
92 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 150
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 25, 2017
Remember “A rolling stone gathers no moss” or “Familiarity breeds contempt” ?
This brilliant soul had hundreds more :
—————
#4. To dispute with a drunkard is to debate with an empty house.
#7. To do two things at once is to do neither.
#35. Adversity shows whether we have friends or the shadows of friends.
#40. There can be no alliance between love and fear.
#46. We all seek to know whether we shall be rich, but no one asks whether he shall be good.
#62. Excessive severity misses its own aim.
#65. When Gold argues the cause, eloquence is impotent.
#88. He who cannot give should not receive.
#104. A good reputation, even in one’s darkest hour, keeps on shining.
#144. Society in shipwreck is a comfort to all.
#190. The gods must be laughing when a rich man prays.
#225. The wretched reflect either too much or too little.
#248. Men will judge your past deeds by your last.
#267. A fair exterior is a silent recommendation.
#290. The future struggles that it may not become the past.
#305. Powerful indeed is the empire of habit.
#326. Success makes some crimes honorable.
#358. Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.
#368. It is a weak mind that cannot bear the possession of riches.
#383. To forget the wrongs you receive is to remedy them.
#393. To withstand the assaults of envy, you must either be a hero or a saint.
#439. Practice is the best of all teachers.
#458. Malevolence keeps its teeth hidden.
#481. Equanimity is calamity's medicine.
#506. Understand your friend's character, but do not hate it
#522. He whom many fear, has himself many to fear.
#536. In vain may we look for that which fate conceals.
#561. There is no fruit which is not bitter before it is ripe.
#548. Be the first to laugh at your own blunder, and no one will laugh at you.
#553. Necessity knows no law except to conquer.
#573. He can best avoid a snare who knows how to set one.
#579. Do not despise the lowest steps in the ascent to greatness.
#587. There can never be an excess of honorable actions.
#588. The anguish thoroughly allayed should not be rudely awakened.
#590. That is not yours which fortune made yours.
#592. You will find it difficult to be sole guardian over that which multitudes covet.
#614. A great fortune sits gracefully on a great man.
#617. Mighty rivers may easily be leaped at their source.
#630. He must have lived ill, who knows not how to die well.
#726. When the performer is concealed, we are indifferent to the music.
#731. Every vicious act has its excuse ever ready.
#735. There should be no disagreement between our lives and our doctrines.
#756. Money alone sets all the world in motion.
#772. He who indulges in anger invites danger.
#779. Fortune shields more people than she secures.
#809. We should provide in peace what we need in war.
#816. You need not seek twice for the rose already withered.
#830. How poor the assistance which injures while it aids !
#833. It is a great loss to lose that which few possess.
#836. How hard it is when accident triumphs over design !
#842. He who yields a prudent obedience exercises a partial control.
#860. He who guards against calamities rarely meets them.
#861. It is no vice to keep a vice out of sight.
#869. He who praises himself will speedily find a censor.
#871. He who lives only for himself is truly dead to others.
#880. It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity.
#881. The highest condition takes its rise in the lowest.
#884. What is it to practice benevolence ? It is to imitate the Deity.
#896. The wise man guards against future evils as if they were present.
#898. That which you thought to run away from will often meet you face to face.
#910. When the soul rules over itself its empire is lasting.
#921. A frog would leap from a throne of gold into a puddle.
#929. It matters not how long you live but how well.
#933. Delay profits nothing but a hasty temper.
#946. You can obey a request much better than a command.
#958. Folly is very often wisdom's companion.
#967. The sons of the blacksmith are not frightened at sparks.
#969. The angry think their power greater than it is.
#978. The wise man avoids evil by anticipating it.
#985. If you are a mariner, let landsmen's business alone.
#997. Glory is apt to follow when industry has prepared the road.
#1001. The sight of a thorn is pleasant when there is a rose by its side.
#1007. It is foolish to complain of the misfortunes which have come to pass through your own fault.
#1010. It is folly to punish your neighbor by fire when you live next door.
#1014. Let a fool hold his tongue, and he will pass for a sage.
#1020. A boastful prosperity will prepare its own fall.
#1036. Do not water your neighbor's fields when your own are parched.
#1053. The wounds of the soul should he cured before those of the body.
#1057. We should use our friends while we have plenty of them.
#1059. Even to be hung one should choose a fine tree.
#1071. You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.
#1077. It is nature, not his standing, that makes the good man.
#1080. Life and reputation travel on with equal pace.
#1116. He who renders services in prosperity finds assistance in adversity.
#1122. We have one opinion of ourselves, and another of our neighbor.
.
This brilliant soul had hundreds more :
—————
#4. To dispute with a drunkard is to debate with an empty house.
#7. To do two things at once is to do neither.
#35. Adversity shows whether we have friends or the shadows of friends.
#40. There can be no alliance between love and fear.
#46. We all seek to know whether we shall be rich, but no one asks whether he shall be good.
#62. Excessive severity misses its own aim.
#65. When Gold argues the cause, eloquence is impotent.
#88. He who cannot give should not receive.
#104. A good reputation, even in one’s darkest hour, keeps on shining.
#144. Society in shipwreck is a comfort to all.
#190. The gods must be laughing when a rich man prays.
#225. The wretched reflect either too much or too little.
#248. Men will judge your past deeds by your last.
#267. A fair exterior is a silent recommendation.
#290. The future struggles that it may not become the past.
#305. Powerful indeed is the empire of habit.
#326. Success makes some crimes honorable.
#358. Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.
#368. It is a weak mind that cannot bear the possession of riches.
#383. To forget the wrongs you receive is to remedy them.
#393. To withstand the assaults of envy, you must either be a hero or a saint.
#439. Practice is the best of all teachers.
#458. Malevolence keeps its teeth hidden.
#481. Equanimity is calamity's medicine.
#506. Understand your friend's character, but do not hate it
#522. He whom many fear, has himself many to fear.
#536. In vain may we look for that which fate conceals.
#561. There is no fruit which is not bitter before it is ripe.
#548. Be the first to laugh at your own blunder, and no one will laugh at you.
#553. Necessity knows no law except to conquer.
#573. He can best avoid a snare who knows how to set one.
#579. Do not despise the lowest steps in the ascent to greatness.
#587. There can never be an excess of honorable actions.
#588. The anguish thoroughly allayed should not be rudely awakened.
#590. That is not yours which fortune made yours.
#592. You will find it difficult to be sole guardian over that which multitudes covet.
#614. A great fortune sits gracefully on a great man.
#617. Mighty rivers may easily be leaped at their source.
#630. He must have lived ill, who knows not how to die well.
#726. When the performer is concealed, we are indifferent to the music.
#731. Every vicious act has its excuse ever ready.
#735. There should be no disagreement between our lives and our doctrines.
#756. Money alone sets all the world in motion.
#772. He who indulges in anger invites danger.
#779. Fortune shields more people than she secures.
#809. We should provide in peace what we need in war.
#816. You need not seek twice for the rose already withered.
#830. How poor the assistance which injures while it aids !
#833. It is a great loss to lose that which few possess.
#836. How hard it is when accident triumphs over design !
#842. He who yields a prudent obedience exercises a partial control.
#860. He who guards against calamities rarely meets them.
#861. It is no vice to keep a vice out of sight.
#869. He who praises himself will speedily find a censor.
#871. He who lives only for himself is truly dead to others.
#880. It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity.
#881. The highest condition takes its rise in the lowest.
#884. What is it to practice benevolence ? It is to imitate the Deity.
#896. The wise man guards against future evils as if they were present.
#898. That which you thought to run away from will often meet you face to face.
#910. When the soul rules over itself its empire is lasting.
#921. A frog would leap from a throne of gold into a puddle.
#929. It matters not how long you live but how well.
#933. Delay profits nothing but a hasty temper.
#946. You can obey a request much better than a command.
#958. Folly is very often wisdom's companion.
#967. The sons of the blacksmith are not frightened at sparks.
#969. The angry think their power greater than it is.
#978. The wise man avoids evil by anticipating it.
#985. If you are a mariner, let landsmen's business alone.
#997. Glory is apt to follow when industry has prepared the road.
#1001. The sight of a thorn is pleasant when there is a rose by its side.
#1007. It is foolish to complain of the misfortunes which have come to pass through your own fault.
#1010. It is folly to punish your neighbor by fire when you live next door.
#1014. Let a fool hold his tongue, and he will pass for a sage.
#1020. A boastful prosperity will prepare its own fall.
#1036. Do not water your neighbor's fields when your own are parched.
#1053. The wounds of the soul should he cured before those of the body.
#1057. We should use our friends while we have plenty of them.
#1059. Even to be hung one should choose a fine tree.
#1071. You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.
#1077. It is nature, not his standing, that makes the good man.
#1080. Life and reputation travel on with equal pace.
#1116. He who renders services in prosperity finds assistance in adversity.
#1122. We have one opinion of ourselves, and another of our neighbor.
.
November 29, 2014
Damned stoics and their timeless wisdom. Do you have to rub it into our faces that we didn't really learn anything in 2000 years? (nothing apparently, except for lightning rods... check mate Syrus!*)
*: 835. It is vain to look for a defense against lightning.
*: 835. It is vain to look for a defense against lightning.
July 16, 2014
WOULD YOU HAVE A GREAT EMPIRE? RULE OVER YOURSELF!
"Adversity shows whether we have friends, or only the shadows of friends."
"Human reason grows rich by self-conquest."
"Conquest over one's self, in the hour of victory, is a double triumph."
"Consult your conscience, rather than public opinion."
"The gain acquired at the expense of reputation, should be counted a loss."
"Wisdom is required by meditation."
"Reflect on everything you hear, by believe only on proof."
"Pleasant is the remembrance of the ills that are past."
"For him who loves labor, there is always something to do."
"The wise man corrects his own errors by observing those of others." (Anti-Models vs Role-Models)
"Many consult their reputation; but few their conscience." (Integrity)
"A fair exterior is a silent recommendation."
"Groans show the pain, but do not remove it." (Develop the habit of not whining, Epictetus)
"The most formidable enemy lies hid in one's own heart." (FEAR)
"The anger of the righteous man is the anger most to be dreaded."
"Powerful indeed is the empire of habit."
"Practice is the best of all instructors."
"The physician were ill, if no one else were ill."
"He will become wicked himself, who feasts with the wicked." (You become the average of the 5 people you spend most time with.)
"The good man can be called miserable, but he is not so."
"You must die, but not as often as you may have wished." (I have known many [terrors], most of them never happened.)
"Begin nothing, the accomplishment of which you will repent." (Think it through to the end, learn to say NO to almost everything)
"Be the first to laugh at your own blunder, and no one will laugh at you."
"Do not despise the lowest steps in the ascent to greatness." (Started from the bottom, now we're...)
"He is never happy whose thoughts always run with his fears."
"There should be no disagreement between our lives and our doctrines." (Integrity + what's integrity to YOU?)
"The timid man sees dangers that do not exist." (Use objective judgement always... break em off... False Impressions - bye bye! CIAO)
"The pain which kills pain is as good as medicine."
"If you delight in the society of the vicious, you are vicious yourself." (average of the 5 people... get out of there man it will spill over into your character)
"In every enterprise consider where you would come out." (PLAN ALL THE WAY TO THE END, 48 Laws)
"No one knows what he can do till he tries." (true my friend)
"Who has the greatest possessions? He who wants least." (hang out with more people who want less, spills over)
"What you blame in others as a fault, you should not be guilty of yourself." (and most times it's exactly that what we see first in others: the stuff we fear most in ourselves => clue)
"Folly is often wisdom's companion." (BE BARE. NOT A BORE... that's the name of the game)
"You are eloquent enough if truth speaks through you." (You don't always need to tell, to really - tell.)
"Either be silent or say something better than silence."
"You can accomplish by kindness what you can not by force."
"The sweetest pleasure arises from difficulties overcome."
"It is not profit to have learned well, if you neglect to DO well." (APPLY)
"Keep the golden mean, between saying too much and too little.)
"Adversity shows whether we have friends, or only the shadows of friends."
"Human reason grows rich by self-conquest."
"Conquest over one's self, in the hour of victory, is a double triumph."
"Consult your conscience, rather than public opinion."
"The gain acquired at the expense of reputation, should be counted a loss."
"Wisdom is required by meditation."
"Reflect on everything you hear, by believe only on proof."
"Pleasant is the remembrance of the ills that are past."
"For him who loves labor, there is always something to do."
"The wise man corrects his own errors by observing those of others." (Anti-Models vs Role-Models)
"Many consult their reputation; but few their conscience." (Integrity)
"A fair exterior is a silent recommendation."
"Groans show the pain, but do not remove it." (Develop the habit of not whining, Epictetus)
"The most formidable enemy lies hid in one's own heart." (FEAR)
"The anger of the righteous man is the anger most to be dreaded."
"Powerful indeed is the empire of habit."
"Practice is the best of all instructors."
"The physician were ill, if no one else were ill."
"He will become wicked himself, who feasts with the wicked." (You become the average of the 5 people you spend most time with.)
"The good man can be called miserable, but he is not so."
"You must die, but not as often as you may have wished." (I have known many [terrors], most of them never happened.)
"Begin nothing, the accomplishment of which you will repent." (Think it through to the end, learn to say NO to almost everything)
"Be the first to laugh at your own blunder, and no one will laugh at you."
"Do not despise the lowest steps in the ascent to greatness." (Started from the bottom, now we're...)
"He is never happy whose thoughts always run with his fears."
"There should be no disagreement between our lives and our doctrines." (Integrity + what's integrity to YOU?)
"The timid man sees dangers that do not exist." (Use objective judgement always... break em off... False Impressions - bye bye! CIAO)
"The pain which kills pain is as good as medicine."
"If you delight in the society of the vicious, you are vicious yourself." (average of the 5 people... get out of there man it will spill over into your character)
"In every enterprise consider where you would come out." (PLAN ALL THE WAY TO THE END, 48 Laws)
"No one knows what he can do till he tries." (true my friend)
"Who has the greatest possessions? He who wants least." (hang out with more people who want less, spills over)
"What you blame in others as a fault, you should not be guilty of yourself." (and most times it's exactly that what we see first in others: the stuff we fear most in ourselves => clue)
"Folly is often wisdom's companion." (BE BARE. NOT A BORE... that's the name of the game)
"You are eloquent enough if truth speaks through you." (You don't always need to tell, to really - tell.)
"Either be silent or say something better than silence."
"You can accomplish by kindness what you can not by force."
"The sweetest pleasure arises from difficulties overcome."
"It is not profit to have learned well, if you neglect to DO well." (APPLY)
"Keep the golden mean, between saying too much and too little.)
June 22, 2018
Publius Syrus was born on the 1st century BC .. he was a Syrian-that's why his name is Syrus- who was brought as a slave to Italy, his master freed and educated him.
How I am introduced to this man? I saw a quote on social media that was referred to him:
"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence"
and I knew this quote, but in arabic version:
ما إن ندمت على سكوتي مرة *** ولقد ندمت على الكلام مرارا
Some say, Omar ibn alKattab said that, some say it's an arabian poem, so I started to get curious, and I knew I must read this book!
Unfortunately, my curiosity increased, I read many quotes that became now very famous in my society, and I finally knew the source, but how it reached to us, thats I don't get.. but I get one thing, our world has been transferring the knowledge and news between continents way before technology come.
Here are the quote that may seem familiar to you:
"Either be silent, or say something better than silence"
"A pleasent life this, if you know nothing; for ignorance is a painless evil"
"Who is a poor man? He who thinks himself rich"
"God looks at the clean hands, not the full ones."
"No one can long sustain a false character."
"Put more confidence in your eyes than your ears"
"the bow too tensely strung is easily broken"
"When the tree has fallen, anyone can cut wood."
How I am introduced to this man? I saw a quote on social media that was referred to him:
"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence"
and I knew this quote, but in arabic version:
ما إن ندمت على سكوتي مرة *** ولقد ندمت على الكلام مرارا
Some say, Omar ibn alKattab said that, some say it's an arabian poem, so I started to get curious, and I knew I must read this book!
Unfortunately, my curiosity increased, I read many quotes that became now very famous in my society, and I finally knew the source, but how it reached to us, thats I don't get.. but I get one thing, our world has been transferring the knowledge and news between continents way before technology come.
Here are the quote that may seem familiar to you:
"Either be silent, or say something better than silence"
"A pleasent life this, if you know nothing; for ignorance is a painless evil"
"Who is a poor man? He who thinks himself rich"
"God looks at the clean hands, not the full ones."
"No one can long sustain a false character."
"Put more confidence in your eyes than your ears"
"the bow too tensely strung is easily broken"
"When the tree has fallen, anyone can cut wood."
January 25, 2018
کتاب 1000 تا جمله ی یه سطریِ که اکثر جملاتش نغز و جالبند
جمله ی قشنگ زیاد داره
جمله ی قشنگ زیاد داره
January 14, 2016
Wow ... applies now and always will.
August 6, 2019
Publius (actually Publilius) Syrus was an ex-slave who was known for his wit, and who also became something of a playwright. All that remains of his output are these maxims or aphorisms. Apparently, they were originally culled from his plays. There also seems to be evidence of interpolation and redaction, so not all of these are necessarily from Publilius Syrus.
There are certainly some recognizable sayings in here that are still with us. Other reviewers had noted some of them already. I also noted while reading this that the saying "ignorance is bliss" seems to have its ultimate origin here, although it was actually coined by the poet Thomas Gray.
Quite a good collection of philosophical aphorisms/maxims. These seemed to have been fairly influential among the Stoics; that is one of the reasons I decided to read this and how I became aware of it.
There are certainly some recognizable sayings in here that are still with us. Other reviewers had noted some of them already. I also noted while reading this that the saying "ignorance is bliss" seems to have its ultimate origin here, although it was actually coined by the poet Thomas Gray.
Quite a good collection of philosophical aphorisms/maxims. These seemed to have been fairly influential among the Stoics; that is one of the reasons I decided to read this and how I became aware of it.
June 22, 2021
So many of my favorite authors over the centuries have pulled from the words and ideas of Syrus and so it was a lot of fun for me to go through these sayings and make connections. I saw ideas that reminded me of Seneca, C.S. Lewis, Shakespeare, Pascal, Wilde, Hugo and on and on. I believe that knowing some of the thoughts and ideas of Syrus is a great foundation to many of the classics that have come down through the years. This book is best treated as a meditation where one reads small bits at a time and ponders on the ideas and makes connections to other truths. Most of these quotes are pithy and yet layered. While I certainly do not agree with everything that Syrus wrote, he does make me think and that is always delightful. Of course this entire work is one quotation after another so every page has something that struck me but I will just share two of my favorite of his quotations.
"There are few to appreciate what God gives to all."
"Better be ignorant of a matter than half know it."
"There are few to appreciate what God gives to all."
"Better be ignorant of a matter than half know it."
April 20, 2014
With a brief introduction to Publilus Syrus, this book as its title infers is a collection of thoughts, quotes, and sayings. I enjoyed this book, however I ended up reading a horrendous e-book version that obviously went straight from the scanner to the Internet. That being said I will not hold that against this book, it’s well worth the read. A few of my more favorite Publilius sayings:
“The stolen ox sometimes puts his head out of the stall.”
“It is better to learn late than never.” (A saying nearly as old as time itself.)
“It is easier to submit to punishment than to injustice.” (As injustice is punishment in its own right.)
“Who would recognize the unhappy if grief had no language?” (I find this one interesting as on the surface, does grief have its own language to be spoken? Although we speak of the language of love and of hate in a loose sense. How many people understand and are fluent with the language of our own emotion?)
Full of timeless quotes, if you are in need of some content for your quote wall then look no further.
“The stolen ox sometimes puts his head out of the stall.”
“It is better to learn late than never.” (A saying nearly as old as time itself.)
“It is easier to submit to punishment than to injustice.” (As injustice is punishment in its own right.)
“Who would recognize the unhappy if grief had no language?” (I find this one interesting as on the surface, does grief have its own language to be spoken? Although we speak of the language of love and of hate in a loose sense. How many people understand and are fluent with the language of our own emotion?)
Full of timeless quotes, if you are in need of some content for your quote wall then look no further.
August 4, 2020
The Romans, it seems, learned much from Aesop. This reads like a more elaborate, laconic version of Aesop. Great as a pocketbook or so if you're the type who likes inspirational quotes. I have nothing against Publius Syrus; I'm quite sure he was a great mimic and actor, but the fragments of his which survive do not make for great reading unless you're into maxims and witticisms.
May 10, 2021
A profound set of moral maxims and thought-provoking aphorisms. Publilius Syrus (85-43 BC) was born a slave but through his wit and talent won the favor of his master, who granted him freedom and educated him. The introduction provides a brief introduction to Syrus’ life and works. He worked as mime artist and was even more famous for his rhetoric (a favorite of Julius Caesar).
“Though aiming to amuse the people, he desired to instruct them, and therefore sought to blend useful truths and noble maxims with the pleasantries demanded in this species of comedy.”
“He tempered the license of the mimes with many grave features, and a morality so severe, that Seneca, in his disquisitions on the Stoic philosophy, often cited their maxims as authority, and still more frequently made them the themes of lengthy essays.”
This version contains just over a thousand numbered maxims. There’s wisdom in each that can be applied to many areas of life. I include some of my favorites below.
May 2021. 5/5
To do two things at once is to do neither.
Hard is it to correct the habit already formed.
A wise man rules his passions, a fool obeys them.
Conquest over one's self; in the hour of victory, is a double triumph.
We must master our good fortune, or it will master us.
There is but a step between a proud man's glory and his disgrace.
Consult your conscience; rather than popular opinion
Man's most prudent counselor is time.
The gain acquired at the expense of reputation, should be counted a loss.
Reflect on everything you hear, but believe only on proof.
Fortune often spares men a present affliction, that they may suffer a greater.
Powerful indeed is the empire of habit.
“Though aiming to amuse the people, he desired to instruct them, and therefore sought to blend useful truths and noble maxims with the pleasantries demanded in this species of comedy.”
“He tempered the license of the mimes with many grave features, and a morality so severe, that Seneca, in his disquisitions on the Stoic philosophy, often cited their maxims as authority, and still more frequently made them the themes of lengthy essays.”
This version contains just over a thousand numbered maxims. There’s wisdom in each that can be applied to many areas of life. I include some of my favorites below.
May 2021. 5/5
To do two things at once is to do neither.
Hard is it to correct the habit already formed.
A wise man rules his passions, a fool obeys them.
Conquest over one's self; in the hour of victory, is a double triumph.
We must master our good fortune, or it will master us.
There is but a step between a proud man's glory and his disgrace.
Consult your conscience; rather than popular opinion
Man's most prudent counselor is time.
The gain acquired at the expense of reputation, should be counted a loss.
Reflect on everything you hear, but believe only on proof.
Fortune often spares men a present affliction, that they may suffer a greater.
Powerful indeed is the empire of habit.
April 20, 2024
Концентрована мудрість.
Гарне видання з «Сентенціями» українською, латиною та доданими транскрипціями
Гарне видання з «Сентенціями» українською, латиною та доданими транскрипціями
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August 23, 2021This little collection is, as it were, the storehouse of ancient ethics, and Seneca in his long essays has added nothing to them. The very form in which Syrus presented them, in the nervous conciseness of his iambic, must have been far more efficient in gaining men over to the practice of virtue, than all the arguments of the Stoic school. —Sketch of the Life of Syrus, from the French of Th. Baudement
__________
A great collection of 1087 short sayings on ethics.
__________
Receive an injury rather than do one. (5)
A trifling rumour may cause a great calamity. (6)
To do two things at once is to do neither. (7)
We are interested in others, when they are interested in us. (16)
A god could hardly love and be wise. (25)
If your parent is just, revere him; if not, bear with him. (27)
Friendship ever profits, but love ever injures. (33)
We all seek to know whether we shall be rich; but no one asks whether he shall be good. (46)
A wise man rules his passions, a fool obeys them. (49)
When reason rules, money is a blessing. (50)
He has existed only, not lived, who lacks wisdom in old age. (55)
No amount of gain satisfies avarice. (71)
The [rich] miser suffers more from a loss than a [good] sage. (72)
Avarice is the source of its own sorrows. (73)
A well-planned project often turns out ill. (76)
He sleeps well, who knows not that he sleeps ill. (77)
Never forget a favour received; be quick to forget a favour bestowed. (85)
He who boasts of a favour bestowed, would like it back again. (91)
Past happiness augments present wretchedness. (96)
Money is worth something when good sense disburses it. (106)
Life is short, but its ills make it seem long. (124)
The wounds of conscience always leave a scar. (134)
An agreeable companion on a journey is as good as a carriage. (143)
Many receive advice, few profit by it. (149)
We tolerate without rebuke the vices with which we have grown familiar. (150)
Man’s most prudent counsellor is time. (151)
He who can get more than belongs to him, is apt to accommodate this desires to his opportunity. (167)
To be always giving, is to encourage a forcible taking when you refuse to give. (168)
Patience is a remedy for every sorrow. (170)
What happens to one man may happen to all. (171)
Deliberation should be protracted when the dec vision is to be final. (186)
When Providence favours, you can make a safe voyage on a twig. (189)
Mental pain is harder to bear than corporeal. (202)
He who prospered in life, should stay at home. (204)
Pleasant is the remembrance of the ills that are past. (209)
The party to which the rubble belong is ever the worst. (223)
Even calamity becomes virtue’s opportunity. (224)
The wretched reflect either too much or too little. (225) [Or they do not reflect correctly]
The good to which we have become accustomed, is often an evil. (227) [“good”]
A great man may commence life in a hovel. (246)
A prosperous worthlessness is the curse of high life. (258)
Bear without murmuring what cannot be changed. (260)
A fair exterior is a silent recommendation. (267)
There are some remedies worse than the disease. (301)
Repentance for our past deeds is a severe mental punishment. (303)
Powerful indeed is the empire of habit. (305)
Circumstances will oft force a good man tis were from the right. (316)
By doing nothing, men learn to do ill. (318)
It is right to spare the guilty, when you thereby shield the innocent. (330)
When the world hates you, see that it have no good reason therefor. (337)
Would you have a great empire? Rule over yourself. (345)
That life is most pleasant which is passed in ignorance. (354)
A cock has great influence on his own dung-hill. (357)
Any one can gold the helm, when the sea is calm. (358)
It is a weak mind that cannot bear the possession of riches. (368)
A truly noble nature cannot be insulted. (369)
Poverty needs little; avarice every thing. (385)
The madman thinks the rest of the world crazy. (386)
The bow too tensely strung is easily broken. (388)
Crimes are encouraged by overlooking petty offences. (394)
Where one has led the way, another may follow. (403)
No pleasure endures unseasoned by variety. ()406)
The error repeated is a fault. (413)
He who chases two hares will catch neither. (426)
Dignities heaped on the undeserving, are a badge of disgrace. (430)
He who lives in solitude, may make his own laws. (432)
Far distant seems the object when desire is ardent. (434)
Practice is the best of all instructors. (438)
Mighty rivers may easily be leaped at their source. (442)
By showing how an evil can be done, you make it worse. (456)
You may spare a bad man, if a good one must die with him. (465)
Woman is man’s superior in curing. (466)
It is a bad plan that admits of no modification. (469)
He will become wicked himself, who feasts with the wicked. (476)
It is better to have a little than noting. (484)
Fear old age, for it does not come without company. (487)
That must always be guarded, which you would keep safely. (488)
The prompter the refusal, the less the disappointment. (492)
The good man can be called miserable, but he is not so. (494)
Unhappy he who must pass life in the midst of perils. (496)
Top depend on another’s nod for a livelihood, is a sad destiny. (501)
There is diligence in mature deliberation. (504)
You must die, but not as often as you may have wished. (509)
You will find a great many things before you find a good man. (517)
Never promise more than you can perform. (528)
Necessity can turn any weapon to advantage. (539)
Be the first to laugh at your own blunder, and no one will laugh at you. (548)
Nothing can be done at once hastily and prudently. (557)
We desire nothing so much as what we ought not to have, (5559)
There is no fruit which is not bitter before it is ripe. (561)
The truth is lost when there is too much contention about it. (568)
It is only the ignorant who despise education. (571)
It is vain to be the pupil of a sage if you have no brains yourself. (572)
Not to punish offences, is to encourage depravity. (574)
Do not despise the lowest steps in the ascent to greatness. (579)
Don’t turn back when you are just at the goal. (580)
It is not every question that deserves an answer. (581)
No man is happy who does not think himself so. (584)
It is not goodness to be barely better than the worst are. (585)
No scar is dishonourable which is a mark of our courage. (586)
There can never be an overplus of honourable actions. (587)
That is not very small which is barely less than the greatest. (589)
It is hard to think the habitually innocent guilty of crime. (591)
You cannot put the same shoe on every foot. (596)
Don’t consider how many you can please, but whom. (599)
It is never to late to take the road to rectitude. (602)
Misfortune is most men’s greatest punishment. (605)
There is no great evil which does not bring with it some advantage. (609)
Consider that there is no place without a [hidden] witness. (610)
Crimes are most easily concealed in the midst of a crowd. (613)
He is never happy whose thoughts aways run with his fears. (614)
A guilty conscience never feels secure. (617)
How long is life to the wretched, how short for the happy. (621)
Opportunities are easily lost, with difficulty found. (623)
Every day should be passed as if it were to be our last. (633)
There should be no disagreement between our lives and our doctrines. (635)
Be at war with men’s vices, at peace with themselves. (636)
Easy is the intercourse of equals with equals. (641)
By tolerating many abuses, we encourage the asaults of such as we cannot tolerate. (645)
Any land is your country where you can live happy. (649)
There are few unwilling to sin, none without knowledge thereof. (652)
He who promptly corrects, makes his error the less. (655)
Be your money’s master, not its slave. (657)
Always study yo secure your permanent peace. (660)
The greater will be lost, if the less is not saved. (662)
To know the hour of death is to die every moment. (665)
No ne can long sustain a false character. (671)
Most men are good through fear, not through a love of goodness. (677)
Harken rather too your conscience than to opinion. (680)
To live in misery and destitution is worse than punishment. (682)
Whoever is useful to his country, is the people’s property. (687)
The pain which kills pain, is as good as medicine. (698)
What it is right to do, should be done at the right time. (720)
How happy the life unembarrassed by the cares of business. (725)
How unhappy is he who cannot forgive himself. (729)
It is a great loss to lose that which few possess. (733)
Consider the useful agreeable, even though if were not. (743)
Pardon one offence, and you encourage the commission of many more. (750)
It is no vice to keep a vice out of sight. (761)
In every enterprise consider where you would come out. (777)
You should tell n one what you wish no one to know. (783)
It matters not what you are thought to be, but what you are. (785)
No one knows what he can do till he tries. (786)
Who has the greatest possessions? He who wants least. (793)
What you blame in others as a fault, you should not be guilty of yourself. (794)
It is foolish to hoard, when you know not for whom you do it. (799)
It is the height of folly to blame without knowledge. (800)
The world thinks that old age always speaks wisely. (804)
What we fear comes to pass more speedily than what we hope. (805)
When the soul rules over itself its empire is lasting. (810)
When you are in love you are not wise; or, when you are wise you are not in love. (816)
A frog woud leap from a throne of gold into a puddle. (821)
He is truly wise who gains wisdom from another’s mishap. (825)
Youth should be governed by reason, not by force. (826)
It matters not how long you live but how well. (829)
Don’t turn back when you are just a the goal. (830)
We get rid of bitter bile with bitter medicines. (834)
No good man ever grew rich all at once. (837)
Forgetfulness is our only relief against losses. (838)
The hour of triumph loves no co-partnership. (845)
You can obey a request much better than. command. (846)
Every thing is worth what its purchaser will pay for it. [This saying is equivalent to the maxim current in our day: a thing is worth what it will fetch. There can be no millennium for civilised man till this maxim has ceased to be true, and a thing becomes worth the labour it cost to produce it.] (847)
Repeated pardons encourage offences. (849)
The eyes and ears of the mob are often false witnesses. (852)
It is right to injure a man to save his life. (854)
There is no more sacred duty than to remember to whom you owe yourself. (855)
When the wise man thinks, he arms himself against the assaults of the whole world. (856)
Folly is very often wisdom’s companion. (858)
Useful, and not multifarious knowledge, is wisdom. (859)
Vain is that wisdom which does not profit the possessor. (860)
You are eloquent enough if truth speaks through you. (861)
It is better to learn late than never. (864)
Better be ignorant of a matter than half know it. (865)
Nbetter use medicines at the outset, than t the last moment. (866)
The sons of the blacksmith are not frightened at sparks. (867)
There will always be some to hate you, if you love yourself. (886)
The greatest of empires, is the empire over one’s self. (891)
Only fools commit the error which might have been avoided. (905)
It is foolish too complain of the misfortunes which have come to pass through your own fault. (907)
It is folly to dread what cannot be avoided. (908)
It is folly to punish your neighbour by fire when you live next door. (910)
It is folly for hi to rule over overs who cannot govern himself. (912)
Let a fool hold his tongue, and he will pass for a sage. (914)
A pleasant life this, if you know nothing; for ignorance is a painless evil. (917)
Suspicion begets suspicion. (928)
Taciturnity is the dunce’s wisdom. (931)
As long as man is ignorant, so long he should be a learner. (932)
Do not water your neighbours fields when your own are parched. (936)
The wounds of the soul should be cured before those of the body. (953)
One will agree with you sooner than many. (955)
Either be silent, or say something better than silence. (960)
Why do we not Hera truth? Because we don’t speak it. (963)
Vices often have a close relationship to virtues. (966)
You can accomplish by kindness what you can not by force. (971)
It is better to trust virtue than fortune. (974)
Would you be known by every body? Then you know nobody. (979)
Vice grown inveterate are hard to correct. (984)
Flattery was once a vice, now it is the fashion. (985)
Th sweetest pleasure arises from difficulties overcome. (989)
There is a great difference between seeming wise, and being so. (991)
It is a consolation to the wretched to have companions in misery. (995)
He is not considered a dupe who understood that he was deceived. (1001)
The happy man is not he who seems thus to others, but who seems thus to himself. (1010)
He who conquers his passions is a man of more nerve than he who subdued the enemy. (1013)
He finds assistant in adversity who renders services in prosperity. (1016)
A single hour may often compensate for the losses of ten years. (1023)
We simply rob ourselves when we make presents to the dead. (1034)
A single instant brings much to pass that no one dreams of. (1035)
Do not be too hasty in accusing, or approving any one. (1039)
It is no profit to have learned well, if you neglect to do well. (1043)
Reason avails nothing when passion has the mastery. (1044)
There is no problem so difficult that it can not be solved by investigation. (1045)
You should not lead one life in private and another in public. (1046)
There is no fortune so good that you can not complain of it. (1049)
No where can we die happier than where we have lived happily. (1050)
It is very well to imitate our ancestors, if they led in the right way. (1055)
The crime of the parent should never be a prejudice to the son. (1056)
Money is a servant if you know how to use it; if not, it is a master. (1057)
What matters it how much you have? There is more which you can not have. (1064)
Not the criminals, but their crimes, it is well to extirpate. (1067)
I have often regretted my speech, never my silence. (1070)
You had better please one good man than many bad ones. (1071)
Speech is a mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so is he. (1073)
Let your life be pleasing to the multitude, and it can not be so to yourself. (1075)
If you would live innocently, seek solitude. (1078)
It is a less evil to be unable to live than not to know how to live. (1082)
March 6, 2019
This is a collection of witty aphorisms and proverb-like statements that have survived since classical Roman times. Like the proverbs we find in the wisdom books of the Bible, they are brief gems of wisdom and insight. Often taking an "If a person.....then that person..." rhythm, they are worth pondering and demonstrate just how little human behavior -- and accompanying folly -- has changed over the centuries.
Also, like the wisdom books of the Bible, it is the kind of book that is best nibbled at over several days rather than something to be read in a sitting or two. There is no narrative flow, although there are several groupings of sayings that have similar subjects.
You will likely be surprised at how many of them are still current after 2000 years, as in "A rolling stone gathers no moss."
Also, just like the Biblical collection of proverbs, the recurring theme is how the truly wise and good person is one who "knows him/herself," who seeks insight and wisdom throughout one's life, and who acts and speaks with moderation and who behaves respectfully and lovingly towards others., the kind of lasting truths that the best among us have trouble practicing at times.
We do not know the author's real name. He was apparently captured by the Romans in a campaign in Syria and, as was common, then given a slave-name denoting his homeland -- Syrus. Because of his intelligence, wit, and loyalty he was eventually freed, taking the family name of his former master -- hence Publius.
These moral sayings are taken from a number of shorter plays that he wrote. Originally one of the lower art forms -- these "plays" were originally intended to entertain the less educated masses and, therefore, contained much of the rougher and crude humor typical of early burlesque in more modern times (and even found in some of the comedies of classical Greece) -- some of them evolved into a form of morality plays with higher themes, and better language.
Publius Syrus became a master of this art form, winning several contests and coming to rank as one of the most popular writers of his time. Unfortunately while none of his plays or skits has survived, someone long ago took the trouble to cull these bits of wisdom sayings from them, preserving them for our own time.
Although likely not every one's "cup of tea," you might be surprised at how much you enjoy and learn from them, should you pick up a copy of this slender book.
Also, like the wisdom books of the Bible, it is the kind of book that is best nibbled at over several days rather than something to be read in a sitting or two. There is no narrative flow, although there are several groupings of sayings that have similar subjects.
You will likely be surprised at how many of them are still current after 2000 years, as in "A rolling stone gathers no moss."
Also, just like the Biblical collection of proverbs, the recurring theme is how the truly wise and good person is one who "knows him/herself," who seeks insight and wisdom throughout one's life, and who acts and speaks with moderation and who behaves respectfully and lovingly towards others., the kind of lasting truths that the best among us have trouble practicing at times.
We do not know the author's real name. He was apparently captured by the Romans in a campaign in Syria and, as was common, then given a slave-name denoting his homeland -- Syrus. Because of his intelligence, wit, and loyalty he was eventually freed, taking the family name of his former master -- hence Publius.
These moral sayings are taken from a number of shorter plays that he wrote. Originally one of the lower art forms -- these "plays" were originally intended to entertain the less educated masses and, therefore, contained much of the rougher and crude humor typical of early burlesque in more modern times (and even found in some of the comedies of classical Greece) -- some of them evolved into a form of morality plays with higher themes, and better language.
Publius Syrus became a master of this art form, winning several contests and coming to rank as one of the most popular writers of his time. Unfortunately while none of his plays or skits has survived, someone long ago took the trouble to cull these bits of wisdom sayings from them, preserving them for our own time.
Although likely not every one's "cup of tea," you might be surprised at how much you enjoy and learn from them, should you pick up a copy of this slender book.
April 27, 2015
More like 4.5 but I'll round up.
I'm often angry at the lack of justice in time. This is one of those times. Publius Syrus seems like such a just, decent, human being. Our times are not giving him the attention that he deserves. If I hadn't have stumbled on a list of unknown books, I wouldn't have heard about this, and that's a real pity.
I feel like more people should read this. It has some sayings that are pretty obvious and old fashioned (obviously,and still, I don't enjoy sexism) but some sayings here are truly insightful and worth thinking about.
I wish teachers would give us quotes from here to discuss instead of boring stuff like if schools should or shouldn't wear uniforms. Some of the sayings have plenty of room for debates (like "I have often regretted my speech, never my silence"- I've often regretted being silent, or not speaking up,),
Some of my favorite sayings (I highlighted like half of the book):
"To do two things at once is to do neither."
"Happy is he who died when death was desirable."
"The future struggles that it may not become the past."
"Life itself is an insult to the wretched."
"Me thinks you are unhappy, if you have never been so."
"No one is so poor during life, as at birth."
I recommend this book to people who want life advice from an intelligent dude. Or just to everyone, because people who won't read this are probably the ones that need to read this the most.
I'm often angry at the lack of justice in time. This is one of those times. Publius Syrus seems like such a just, decent, human being. Our times are not giving him the attention that he deserves. If I hadn't have stumbled on a list of unknown books, I wouldn't have heard about this, and that's a real pity.
I feel like more people should read this. It has some sayings that are pretty obvious and old fashioned (obviously,and still, I don't enjoy sexism) but some sayings here are truly insightful and worth thinking about.
I wish teachers would give us quotes from here to discuss instead of boring stuff like if schools should or shouldn't wear uniforms. Some of the sayings have plenty of room for debates (like "I have often regretted my speech, never my silence"- I've often regretted being silent, or not speaking up,),
Some of my favorite sayings (I highlighted like half of the book):
"To do two things at once is to do neither."
"Happy is he who died when death was desirable."
"The future struggles that it may not become the past."
"Life itself is an insult to the wretched."
"Me thinks you are unhappy, if you have never been so."
"No one is so poor during life, as at birth."
I recommend this book to people who want life advice from an intelligent dude. Or just to everyone, because people who won't read this are probably the ones that need to read this the most.
October 1, 2019
জন্মেছিলেন দুই হাজার বছর আগে, সিরিয়াতে৷ কিন্তু স্বদেশে থাকা হয়নি। ভাগ্যলিপিতে লিখন ছিল ভিন্নকিছুই৷ ক্রীতদাস হিসেবে চলে এলেন প্রাচীন রোমে। নিজের বুদ্ধিবৃত্তি এবং প্রজ্ঞার বলে প্রভুর মন জয় করে নিলেন৷ নিজের বাণীর জন্যে খ্যাতিমান ছিলেন পুরো রোম সাম্রাজ্যে৷ এই মানুষটির নাম পাবলিয়াস সাইরাস। সাইরাসের প্রায় এক হাজার উক্তি নিয়েই চমৎকার এই বই।
মনস্তত্ব এবং মানব চরিত্র নিয়ে বিস্তর ঘাঁটাঘাঁটি করেছেন পাবলিয়াস সাইরাস। এই বইয়ের কিছু পছন্দের উক্তি -
' A good man loves to sit at a good man's table.'
' The evil you do to others you may expect in return. '
' When liberty has fallen, no one dares to open the mouth. '
' Do not find your happiness in another's sorrow.'
' The [ rich ] miser suffers more from a loss than a [poor] sage. '
' He who can not give, should not receive. '
মনস্তত্ব এবং মানব চরিত্র নিয়ে বিস্তর ঘাঁটাঘাঁটি করেছেন পাবলিয়াস সাইরাস। এই বইয়ের কিছু পছন্দের উক্তি -
' A good man loves to sit at a good man's table.'
' The evil you do to others you may expect in return. '
' When liberty has fallen, no one dares to open the mouth. '
' Do not find your happiness in another's sorrow.'
' The [ rich ] miser suffers more from a loss than a [poor] sage. '
' He who can not give, should not receive. '
July 2, 2016
This book is a list of moral sayings from Publilius Syrus. Nothing more to it except a little summary about his life that is present in the beginning of the book. The rating is more for the extremely apt nature of those sayings which stand true till date and i'm sure will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.
October 17, 2017
Publius Syrus was a Roman slave who won his freedom because of his talents. He became known for acting and writing plays and would influence people like Seneca, and later Shakespeare. This is a collection of his proverbs, many of which are still well-known today, and is all that survives of his works.
Read
March 1, 2019My brain hurts. So many contradictions. Repetitions. Not meant for people to read in three single spurts. Some good vibrations still though, in spite of it being so long ago. I'll try not to write in rhymes anymore. People might think I'm a bore.
Anywhooo, it's very interesting.
Anywhooo, it's very interesting.
March 30, 2017
A great compendium of ancient quotes from a roman slave, who was freed and became one of the best playwriters in Rome. Myriad pieces of wisdom to live by our lives.
January 28, 2018
You can learn a lot from reading one quote.
I choose this rating because this book and it's author talk about real life situations that we can all relate to.
I choose this rating because this book and it's author talk about real life situations that we can all relate to.
June 21, 2021
This is not a novel or even a biography. This is more like a small book of sayings that you read one every day and gain a bit of refreshment and wisdom for that 24 hours. Many of these sayings have unknown context and can only be assumed what the true meaning was. So much of our wisdom and pithy sayings come from the works of the Stoics and Shakespeare, and the Psalms and Proverbs, and others of such reknown in history. However, Publius Syrus has often been overlooked in his addition to our cultural consideration of values. Maybe it is because the "mimes" or plays themselves were never preserved, or because what is left of his sayings was not available in common language, but I'm very glad to have been introduced to these tidbits of wit and wisdom, to see a foundation for some of our own sage sayings.
April 10, 2021
”Familiarity breeds contempt”
“A fair exterior is a silent recommendation”
“Men will judge your past deeds by your last”
“Many receive advice, few profit by it”
“Lovers know what they want, but not what they need”
“To do two things at once is to do neither”
“He who dares danger, triumphs over it before it reaches him”
“Money alone sets all the world in motion”
“No one knows what he can do till he tries”
“A fair exterior is a silent recommendation”
“Men will judge your past deeds by your last”
“Many receive advice, few profit by it”
“Lovers know what they want, but not what they need”
“To do two things at once is to do neither”
“He who dares danger, triumphs over it before it reaches him”
“Money alone sets all the world in motion”
“No one knows what he can do till he tries”
February 16, 2020
Wisdom on every line of this book.
"Death is a blessing to infancy, bitter for youth, too tardy for old age."
"Death is a blessing to infancy, bitter for youth, too tardy for old age."
May 1, 2019
Since it's badly translated and worse punctuated, any alternative version is more recommendable but it fills a hole in my collection of ancient writings. He was the best Roman mime writer and his sayings are all that survive of him. He confesses his crime who flees the tribunal could've had Assange in mind. A woman's tear is spite's seasoning is interesting. As is Wit is folly in a sage. A rolling stone gathers no moss is probably the origin of that proverb. It is vain to be the pupil of a sage if you have no brains yourself is funny. As is I dislike a precocious talent in little boys. And Taciturnity is the dunce's wisdom. The probity which is only assumed is depravity doubly distilled is good. As is Malice swallows the greater part of its own venom.
January 30, 2020
Some gems of sayings in this book. I would have loved there to be more context and story behind some of his excellent quotes.
April 28, 2018
A bit of all the ancient thought is here and of course the love of asceticism and martial virtue is never missing. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the unique insights of Syrus as opposed to other thinkers.
August 25, 2018
A list of sayings by former Roman Slave Publius Syrus. The man himself is very interesting but this particular volume of sayings just has 1087 one-liner sayings just listed... There needs to be some analysis or common groupings with Chapter headers at least. It was a tiresome read.
January 11, 2020
It was hard to find this book and now when I found it, I feel disappointed. It is just literally a collection of short, one-sentence sayings, numbered. Some of them are well known ("You should hammer your iron while it is glowing hot"), some are interesting, some seems useless.
February 22, 2016
Ancient wisdom at its best. 5 stars.
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