Nature has given man no better thing than shortness of life.
The perverted ingenuity of man has given to water the power of intoxicating where wine is not procured. Western nations intoxicate themselves by moistened grain.
The agricultural population, says Cato, produces the bravest men, the most valiant soldiers, and a class of citizens the least given of all too evil designs.
Truth comes out in wine.
Wine refreshes the stomach, sharpens the appetite, blunts care and sadness, and conduces to slumber.
It is generally much more shameful to lose a good reputation than never to have acquired it.
Nothing is more useful than wine for strengthening the body and also more detrimental to our pleasure if moderation be lacking.
In these matters the only certainty is that nothing is certain.
When a building is about to fall down, all the mice desert it.
The great business of man is to improve his mind, and govern his manners; all other projects and pursuits, whether in our power to compass or not, are only amusements.
Wine maketh the band quivering, the eye watery, the night unquiet, lewd dreams, a stinking breath in the morning, and an utter forgetfulness of all things.
We neglect those things which are under our very eyes, and heedless of things within our grasp, pursue those which are afar off.
With man, most of his misfortunes are occasioned by man.
Most men are afraid of a bad name, but few fear their consciences.
Let honor be to us as strong an obligation as necessity is to others.
The lust of avarice as so totally seized upon mankind that their wealth seems rather to possess them than they possess their wealth.
The happier the moment the shorter.
In comparing various authors with one another, I have discovered that some of the gravest and latest writers have transcribed, word for word, from former works, without making acknowledgment.
True glory consists in doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read.
Human nature is fond of novelty.