Just do what I command you to do!
***
Here are 50 much-quoted sententiae of Publilius Syrus—first the original Latin, then a concise English rendering.
| # | Latin (original) | English sense |
| 1 | Inopi beneficium bis dat, qui dat celeriter. | He doubly benefits the needy who gives quickly. |
| 2 | Alienum aes homini ingenuo acerba est servitus. | Debt is the slavery of the free. |
| 3 | Ames parentem, si aequus est; si aliter, feras. | If your parent is just, honour him; if not, endure him. |
| 4 | Audendo virtus crescit, tardando timor. | Courage grows by daring, fear by delaying. |
| 5 | Honesta fama melior est pecunia. | A good reputation is worth more than money. |
| 6 | Contra impudentem stulta est nimia ingenuitas. | Excessive frankness is foolish against the shameless. |
| 7 | Socius fit culpae, qui nocentem sublevat. | He who helps the guilty shares the crime. |
| 8 | Honesta turpitudo est pro causa bona. | Wrong-doing is honourable for a good cause. |
| 9 | Inopiae desunt multa, avaritiae omnia. | Poverty lacks many things; greed lacks everything. |
| 10 | Fortuna cum blanditur, captatum venit. | When Fortune flatters, she aims to ensnare. |
| 11 | Fortuna vitrea est: tum cum splendet frangitur. | Fortune is like glass: the brighter it shines, the easier it breaks. |
| 12 | Fortunam citius reperias quam retineas. | You may find Fortune sooner than keep her. |
| 13 | Formosa facies muta commendatio est. | A beautiful face is a silent recommendation. |
| 14 | In tranquillo esse quisque gubernator potest. | Anyone can steer the ship in calm seas. |
| 15 | Iudex damnatur ubi nocens absolvitur. | The judge is condemned when the guilty is acquitted. |
| 16 | Necessitas dat legem non ipsa accipit. | Necessity gives the law but accepts none. |
| 17 | Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest. | A plan that cannot be changed is a bad one. |
| 18 | Invitat culpam qui peccatum praeterit. | He invites fault who ignores a sin. |
| 19 | Stultum facit fortuna, quem vult perdere. | Fortune first makes foolish the man she would destroy. |
| 20 | Taciturnitas stulto homini pro sapientia est. | Silence passes with a fool for wisdom. |
| 21 | Velox consilium sequitur paenitentia. | Repentance follows hasty counsel. |
| 22 | Proximum ab innocentia tenet locum verecunda peccati confessio. | Modest confession of a fault is next to innocence. |
| 23 | Saxum volutum non obducitur musco. | A rolling stone gathers no moss. |
| 24 | Quod vult habet, qui cupere quod sat est potest. | He has what he wants who can want what is enough. |
| 25 | In sterculino plurimum gallus potest. | The cock is mightiest on his own dung-heap. |
| 26 | Gravissimum est imperium consuetudinis. | The rule of habit is supremely powerful. |
| 27 | Nemo timendo ad summum pervenit locum. | No one reaches the top by being afraid. |
| 28 | Sero in periclis est consilium quaerere. | It is late to seek advice in the midst of danger. |
| 29 | Sat magna usura est pro beneficio memoria. | Gratitude is ample interest for a favour. |
| 30 | Semper metuendum, quicquid irasci potest. | Always fear whatever is able to grow angry. |
| 31 | Seditio civium hostium est occasio. | Civil strife is the enemy’s opportunity. |
| 32 | Salutis causa bene fit homini iniuria. | Harm done for the sake of safety is acceptable. |
| 33 | Solet sequi laus, cum viam fecit labor. | Praise follows when toil has cleared the way. |
| 34 | Sibi ipsa improbitas cogit fieri iniuriam. | Wickedness forces injury upon itself. |
| 35 | Stultitia est insectari quem dī diligunt. | It is folly to pursue one loved by the gods. |
| 36 | Alienum est omne, quicquid optando evenit. | Whatever comes by wishing is someone else’s. |
| 37 | Amor animi arbitrio sumitur, non ponitur. | Love is taken by decision of the spirit, not laid aside at will. |
| 38 | Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur. | Even a god can scarcely love and be wise at once. |
| 39 | Bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria. | He conquers twice who conquers himself in victory. |
| 40 | Bene vixit is, qui potuit, cum voluit mori. | He has lived well who could die when he wished. |
| 41 | Brevis ipsa vita, sed malis fit longior. | Life is brief, but troubles make it long. |
| 42 | Bene dormit, qui non sentit quam male dormiat. | He sleeps well who knows not how ill he sleeps. |
| 43 | Consilio melius vincas quam iracundia. | Conquer with judgment rather than with anger. |
| 44 | Cui plus licet quam par est, plus vult quam licet. | He who is allowed more than is right wants more than is allowed. |
| 45 | Cotidie damnatur, qui semper timet. | He who always fears is daily condemned. |
| 46 | Aliena nobis, nostra plus aliis placent. | Other men’s things delight us; ours delight others more. |
| 47 | Amans, sicut fax, agitando ardescit magis. | Like a torch, love blazes brighter when waved. |
| 48 | Bis peccas, cum peccanti obsequium accommodas. | You sin twice when you help a sinner. |
| 49 | Citius venit periclum cum contemnitur. | Danger comes faster when it is scorned. |
| 50 | Cave quicquam incipias, quod paeniteat postea. | Begin nothing you may regret later. |
Using the list
- Publilius’ sententiae were originally scattered one-line proverbs embedded in Roman mime plays; later editors alphabetised and numbered them, so numbering varies across editions.
- Where multiple modern translations exist, I chose the one that keeps closest to the Latin sense while sounding natural in English.
- If you want to explore further, consult the full critical Latin text at The Latin Library or the Loeb Classical Library for parallel Latin-English pages.