Cato The Elder Quotes

Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not imitate the successes of the wise.

Those who are serious in ridiculous matters will be ridiculous in serious matters.

I prefer to do right and get no thanks than to do wrong and receive no punishment.

After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one.

Furthermore, I think Carthage must be destroyed.

We cannot control the evil tongues of others; but a good life enables us to disregard them.

The hero saves us. Praise the hero! Now, who will save us from the hero?

I think the first virtue is to restrain the tongue; he approaches nearest to gods who knows how to be silent, even though he is in the right.

There is a wide difference between true courage and a mere contempt of life.

If you are ruled by mind you are a king; if by body, a slave.

An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes.

Anger so clouds the mind that it cannot perceive the truth.

All mankind rules its women, and we rule all mankind, but our women rule us.

The worst ruler is one who cannot rule himself.

It is a difficult matter to argue with the belly since it has no ears.

Patience is the greatest of all virtues.

Grasp the subject, the words will follow.

Tis sometimes the height of wisdom to feign stupidity.

Farming, if you do one thing late, you will be late in all your work.

Buy not what you want, but what you have need of; what you do not want is dear at a farthing.

Wise men learn more from fools than fools from the wise.

Speech is the gift of all, but the thought of few.

He who fears death has already lost the life he covets.

Suffer women once to arrive at an equality with you, and they will from that moment become your superiors.

The public has more interest in the punishment of an injury than he who receives it.

He is nearest to the gods who knows how to be silent.

Between the mouth and the morsel many things may happen.

Lighter is the wound foreseen.

Moreover, I consider that Carthage should be destroyed.

Even though work stops, expenses run on.

Cessation of work is not accompanied by cessation of expenses

From lightest words sometimes the direst quarrel springs.

Be firm or mild as the occasion may require.

After I am dead, I would rather have men ask why Cato has no monument than why he had one.

An orator is a good man who is skilled in speaking.

Cessation of work is not accompanied by cessation of expenses.

After I am dead I would rather have men ask why Cato has no monument than why he had one.