WIST Quotations

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- Philippics [Philippicae; Antonian Orations], No. 2, ch. 36 / sec. 90 (2.36/2.90) (44-10-24 BC) [tr. Berry (2006)]

Dave — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 18:17:50 +0000

Although fear was turning you into a good citizen, fear is only in the short term a teacher of duty; and that unscrupulousness of yours, which never deserts you so long as you are not afraid, has turned you into a scoundrel.

[Quamquam bonum te timor faciebat, non diuturnus magister officii, improbum fecit ea, quae, dum timor abest, a te non discedit, audacia.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Philippics [Philippicae; Antonian Orations], No. 2, ch. 36 / sec. 90 (2.36/2.90) (44-10-24 BC) [tr. Berry (2006)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Other translations:

However, the cause of your loyalty was fear, no lasting monitor of duty, while your worthlessness springs from that audacity which is ever present with you while you are free from fear.
[tr. King (1877)]

Fear is not a lasting teacher of duty.
[Timor non est diuturnus magister officii.]
[ed. Hoyt (1883)]

However, it was fear -- no steadfast teacher of duty -- that made you good: what made you unprincipled was that which, in the absence of fear, never departs from you, audacity.
[tr. Ker (Loeb) (1926)]

Although it was fear that was then making you a good citizen, which is never a lasting teacher of duty; your own audacity, which never departs from you as long as you are free from fear, has made you a worthless one.
[tr. Yonge (1903)]

Although fear (not a long-lasting teacher of one’s duty) was making you a decent person then, your arrogance, which never leaves you as long as fear is absent, has made you shameless.
[tr. McElduff (2011)]

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 1, ch. 31 (1.31), “That a Man Is Soberly to Judge of the Divine Ordinance [Qu’il faut sobrement se mesler de juger des ordonnances divines] (1572) [tr. Ives (1925), ch. 32]

Dave — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 23:07:45 +0000

We must be content with the light that it may please the sun to shed upon us by his beams; and he who shall raise his eyes to bring a brighter beam into his very body, let him not think it strange if, for the punishment of his audacity, he thus lose his sight.

[Il se faut contenter de la lumiere qu’il plaist au Soleil nous communiquer par ses rayons, & qui eslevera ses yeux pour en prendre une plus grande dans son corps mesme, qu’il ne trouve pas estrange, si pour la peine de son outrecuidance il y perd la veuë.]

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 1, ch. 31 (1.31), “That a Man Is Soberly to Judge of the Divine Ordinance [Qu’il faut sobrement se mesler de juger des ordonnances divines] (1572) [tr. Ives (1925), ch. 32]
(Source)

On discerning God's will.

This passage of this essay was in the 1st (1580) edition.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

A man should be satisfied with the light, which it pleaseth the Sunne to communicate unto us by vertue of his beames; and he that shall lift up his eyes to take a greater within his bodie, let him not thinke it strange, if for a reward of his over-weening and arrogancie he loose his sight.
[tr. Florio (1603)]

We are to content ourselves with the light it pleases the sun to communicate to us, by virtue of his rays, and he that will lift up his eyes to take in a greater, let him not think it strange if, for the punishment of his presumption, he thereby lose his sight.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

We are to content ourselves with the light it pleases the sun to communicate to us, by virtue of his rays; and who will lift up his eyes to take in a greater, let him not think it strange, if for the reward of his presumption, he there lose his sight.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

We must be content with the light that it pleases the sun to communicate to us by its rays; and if anyone raises his eyes to gain a greater light from its very body, let him not find it strange if as a penalty for his presumption he loses his sight.
[tr. Frame (1943), 1.32]

We must be content with the light which the Sun vouchsafes to shed on us by its rays: were a man to lift up his eyes to seek a greater light in the Sun itself, let him not find it strange if he is blinded as a penalty for his presumption.
[tr. Screech (1987), 1.32]

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- In Verrem [Against Verres; Verrine Orations], Action 2, Book 3, ch. 76 / sec. 176 (2.3.76.176) (70 BC) [tr. Greenwood (1928)]

Dave — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 23:41:14 +0000

What pleasures habitual wrongdoing provides for men without principle or sense of shame, when they have escaped punishment and found themselves given a free hand!

[O consuetudo peccandi, quantam habes iucunditatem improbis et audacibus, cum poena afuit et licentia consecuta est!]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
In Verrem [Against Verres; Verrine Orations], Action 2, Book 3, ch. 76 / sec. 176 (2.3.76.176) (70 BC) [tr. Greenwood (1928)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:

O you habit of sinning, what delight you afford to the wicked and the audacious, when chastisement is afar off, and when impunity attends you!
[tr. Yonge (1903)]

Alas, the habit of evil-doing! what pleasure it affords to the depraved and the shameless, when punishment is in abeyance, and has been replaced by license.
[Source (1906)]

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- Orationes in Catilinam [Catilinarian Orations], No. 1, § 1, cl. 1 (1.1.1) (63-11-08 BC) [tr. Yonge (1856)]

Dave — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 16:14:43 +0000

When, O Catiline, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now?

[Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? Quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet? Quem ad finem sese effrenata iactabit audacia?]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Orationes in Catilinam [Catilinarian Orations], No. 1, § 1, cl. 1 (1.1.1) (63-11-08 BC) [tr. Yonge (1856)]
(Source)

Urging Catiline, leader of a conspiracy against the Roman government, to leave the city.

(Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:

How long, Catiline, will you abuse our patience? How long shall that fury of yours hector down even us too? To what bound shall your unbridled Audaciousness fly out?
[tr. Wase (1671)]

How long, Catiline, will you dare to abuse our patience? how long are we to be the sport of your frantic fury? to what extremity do you mean to carry your unbridled insolence?
[tr. Sydney (1795)]

How far at length, O Catiline! wilt thou trifle with our patience? How long still shall that frenzy of thine baffle us? To what limit shall they uncurbed effrontery boastfully display itself?
[tr. Mongan (1879)]

How far at length wilt thou abuse with our patience, O Catiline? How long also that thy fury will elude us? To what end thy unbridled audacity will boast itself?
[tr. Underwood (1885)]

How much further, Catilina, will you carry your abuse of our forbearance? How much longer will your reckless temper baffle our restraint? What bounds will you set to this display of your uncontrolled audacity?
[tr. Blakiston (1894)]

How far at length will you abuse, O Catiline, our patience? How long also will that fury of yours elude us? To what end will that unbridled audacity flaunt itself?
[tr. Dewey (1916)]

In the name of heaven, Catilina, how long do you propose to exploit our patience? Do you really suppose that your lunatic activities are going to escape our retaliation for evermore? Are there to be no limits to this audacious, uncontrollable swaggering?
[tr. Grant (1960)]

How far will you continue to abuse our patience, Catiline? For how much longer will that rage of yours make a mockery of us? To what point will your unbridled audacity show itself?
[IB Notes]

McCarthy, Cormac -- The Crossing (2010)

Dave — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 17:01:14 +0000

He said the wicked know that if the ill they do be of sufficient horror men will not speak against it. That men have just enough stomach for small evils and only these will they oppose.

Cormac McCarthy (1933-2023) American novelist, playwright, screenwriter
The Crossing (2010)
(Source)

Howard, Robert E. -- “Skulls in the Stars,” Weird Tales (Jan 1929)

Dave — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 16:01:39 +0000

For man’s only weapon is courage that flinches not from the gates of Hell itself, and against such not even the legions of Hell can stand.

Robert E. Howard (1906-1936) American author
“Skulls in the Stars,” Weird Tales (Jan 1929)
(Source)

Lorde, Audre -- The Cancer Journals (1997)

Dave — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 18:01:35 +0000

When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.

Audre Lorde (1934-1992) American writer, feminist, civil rights activist
The Cancer Journals (1997)

Butcher, Jim -- Turn Coat (2009)

Dave — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:38:40 +0000

There’s a fine line between audacity and idiocy.

Jim Butcher (b. 1971) American author
Turn Coat (2009)

Lloyd George, David -- War Memoirs of David Lloyd George, Vol. 2, ch. 24 (1933)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

There is no greater mistake than to try to leap an abyss in two jumps.

David Lloyd George (1863-1945) Welsh politician, statesman, UK Prime Minister (1916-22)
War Memoirs of David Lloyd George, Vol. 2, ch. 24 (1933)

Not original with Lloyd George, but usually attributed to him. For more information, see here. Variants:

"Don’t be afraid to take a big step. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps."
"The most dangerous thing in the world is to leap a chasm in two jumps."
"Anything can be achieved in small, deliberate steps. But there are times you need the courage to take a great leap; you can't cross a chasm in two small jumps."
"There is nothing more dangerous than to leap a chasm in two jumps."