Quintilian (Marcus Fabius Quintilian)

If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest
of men, I will find read more

If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest
of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.
[Fr., Qu'on me donne six lignes ecrites de la main du plus
honnete homme, j'y trouverai de quoi le faire pendre.]

Everything that has a beginning comes to an end.

Everything that has a beginning comes to an end.

To swear, except when necessary, is becoming to an honorable man.
[Lat., In totum jurare, nisi ubi necesse est, read more

To swear, except when necessary, is becoming to an honorable man.
[Lat., In totum jurare, nisi ubi necesse est, gravi viro parum
convenit.]

One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance
of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no read more

One thing, however, I must premise, that without the assistance
of natural capacity, rules and precepts are of no efficacy.
[Lat., Illud tamen in primis testandum est, nihil praecepta atque
artes valere nisi adjuvante natura.]

For it would have been better that man should have been born
dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather read more

For it would have been better that man should have been born
dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ
the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor.
[Lat., Mutos enim nasci, et egere omni ratione satius fuisset,
quam providentiae munera in mutuam perniciem convertere.]