Cato the Elder (234-149 B.C.E.), also known as Cato the Censor, was a Roman statesman and scholar. He is renowned for his political and moral maxims, which are still widely quoted today. His writings on government, war, and philosophy are considered some of the most influential of the ancient world. His quotes are often seen as a reflection of his Stoic beliefs, which emphasize the individual’s responsibility for taking action for the greater good. Themes of Cato’s quotes include courage, justice, honor, and truth. He also wrote extensively about the importance of education and free speech.
60 Best Cato Quotes
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“It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one’s dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”
– Epictetus
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“It is not death that a man should fear, but never beginning to live.”
– Marcus Aurelius
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“Though the vine bear no fruit every year, yet the care of it loses nothing of its duty.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“The time of life is short; to spend that shortness basely, it would be too long.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.”
– Seneca
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“If you want to be loved, be lovable.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“He who fears death will never do anything worth of a man who is alive.”
– Seneca
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“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.”
– Aristotle
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“No evil is honorable: but death is honorable; therefore death is not evil.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly. Nothing is so praiseworthy, nothing so clearly shows a great and noble soul, as clemency and readiness to forgive.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life—knowing that under certain circumstances it is not worthwhile to live.”
– Aristotle
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“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”
– Epictetus
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“It is the sign of a great mind to dislike greatness, and to prefer things in proportion to their usefulness.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”
– Lao Tzu
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“The Gods can either take away evil from the world, or they can give us the strength to bear it.”
– Cicero
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“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”
– Seneca
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“If you would make a man happy, do not add to his possessions but subtract from the sum of his desires.”
– Epicurus
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“The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.”
– Socrates
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“The wise man is cured of ambition by ambition itself; it is the glory of his life to have outlived his life’s ambition.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“The surest way to remain poor is to be an honest man.”
– Napoleon Bonaparte
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“The wise man knows when he cannot succeed, and he does not expose himself to failure.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“He who is brave is free.”
– Seneca
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“The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life—knowing that under certain circumstances it is not worthwhile to live.”
– Aristotle
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“If you would be loved, love and be lovable.”
– Benjamin Franklin
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“The greatest wealth is to live content with little.”
– Plato
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“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
– Aristotle
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“The wise man will be patient in adversity, as well as in prosperity.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”
– Aristotle
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“We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us.”
– A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
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“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”
– Epictetus
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“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
– Marcus Aurelius
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“The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.”
– Chinese Proverb
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“The greatest wealth is health.”
– Virgil
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“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”
– Francis Bacon
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“The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”
– Lao Tzu
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“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”
– Seneca
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“The wise man is cured of ambition by ambition itself; it is the glory of his life to have outlived his life’s ambition.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
-
“If you would make a man happy, do not add to his possessions but subtract from the sum of his desires.”
– Epicurus
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“The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.”
– Socrates
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“The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life—knowing that under certain circumstances it is not worthwhile to live.”
– Aristotle
-
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
– Marcus Aurelius
-
“The wise man knows when he cannot succeed, and he does not expose himself to failure.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
-
“He who is brave is free.”
– Seneca
-
“The wise man will be patient in adversity, as well as in prosperity.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
-
“The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”
– Aristotle
-
“We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us.”
– A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
-
“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”
– Epictetus
-
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
– Marcus Aurelius
-
“The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
-
“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.”
– Chinese Proverb
-
“The greatest wealth is health.”
– Virgil
-
“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”
– Francis Bacon
-
“The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”
– Lao Tzu
-
“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”
– Seneca
-
“If you would be loved, love and be lovable.”
– Benjamin Franklin
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“The greatest wealth is to live content with little.”
– Plato
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“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
– Aristotle
Conclusion
In conclusion, the words of Cato the Elder are still relevant today. His words have been used to shape the way many people think about life and the world. Whether it be his famous quote, “It is more honorable to be raised to a throne than to be born to one,” or his wise words about being honest and having integrity, Cato’s words are still relevant. His quotes are timeless and can still be applied to our everyday lives.
