Great Throughts Treasury

"I agree to, or rather aspire to, my doom."

"I am young, it is true; but in noble souls valor does not wait for years."

"I don't know how to defend myself: surprised innocence cannot imagine being under suspicion."

"It is a flame which sinks for lack of fuel."

"It is a law, of the gods which is never broken, to sell somewhat dearly the great benefits which they confer on us."

"It is the guilt, not the scaffold, which constitutes the shame."

"Justice advances with such languid steps that crime often escapes from its slowness. Its tardy and doubtful course causes many tears to be shed."

"Let us attend to the present, and as to the future we shall know how to manage when the occasion arrives."

"Let us be friends, Cinna, it is I who invite you to be so."

"Oh rage! Oh despair! Oh age, my enemy!"

"Patience and time conquer all things."

"The man who pardons easily courts injury."

"The secret of giving affectionately is great and rare; it requires address to do it well; otherwise we lose instead of deriving benefit from it. This man gives lavishly in a way that obliges no one; the manner of giving is worth more than the gift. Another loses intentionally at a game, thus disguising his present; another forgets a jewel, which would have been refused as a gift. A generous booby seems to be giving alms to his mistress when he is making a present."

"The subject of a good tragedy must not be realistic."

"The wrinkles on his forehead are the marks which his mighty deeds have engraved there, and still indicate what he was in former days."

"There are secret ties, there are sympathies, by the sweet relationship of which souls that are well matched attach themselves to each other, and are affected by I know not what, which cannot be explained."

"These flattering mirrors reflect imperfectly what is within; the countenance is often a gay deceiver. What defects of mind lie hidden under its beauty! What fair exteriors conceal base souls!"

"This dark brightness that falls from the stars."

"Time is a great manager: it arranges things well."

"To die for one's country is such a worthy fate that all compete for so beautiful a death."

"To he who avenges a father, nothing is impossible."

"To myself alone do I owe my fame."

"To vanquish without peril is to triumph without glory."

"Treachery is noble when aimed at tyranny."

"Tyrant, step from the throne, and give place to thy master."

"Violence is just, where kindness is vain."

"We never enjoy perfect happiness; our most fortunate successes are mingled with sadness; some anxieties always perplex the reality of our satisfaction."

"We triumph without glory when we conquer without danger."

"When a woman has the gift of silence she possesses a quality above the vulgar. It is a gift of Heaven seldom bestowed; without a little miracle it cannot be accomplished; and Nature suffers violence when Heaven puts a woman in the humor of observing silence."

"When heaven half opens its arms, he who is faint-hearted, deserves not anything. - It is this want of faith that often keeps heaven from bestowing its blessings; and even when they come clown, it is apt to send them away."

"When there is no peril in the fight there is no glory in the triumph."

"When we conquer without danger our triumph is without glory."

"Who is all powerful should fear everything."

"Who pardons easily invites offense."

"Whoever can do as he pleases, commands when he entreats."