Marcus Tullius Cicero Quotes

What is permitted is not always wise.

It is a wise man who knows where courage ends and stupidity begins.

Judgment is not upon all occasions required, but discretion always is.

It is prudence that first forsakes the wretched.

Knowing what is right does not make a sagacious man.

Prudence is not only the first in rank of the virtues political and moral, but she is the director and regulator, the standard of them all.

When you encounter seemingly good advice that contradicts other seemingly good advice, ignore them both.

I'm not saying Obama is right on everything. Of course not. He may be wrong on a number of things. But what I do know is that he behaves like a very, very sane man almost all the time.

Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.

In the last analysis sound judgment will prevail.

Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it.

The precept... is wise which directs us to try all things and hold fast that which is good

Men do not fail commonly for want of knowledge, but for want of prudence to give wisdom the preference.

The wise man is seldom prudent.

Wisdom is exercised in the choices you make.

Courage is a virtue only so far as it is directed by prudence.

To know when to be generous and when firm—that is wisdom.

Circumspection and caution are part of wisdom.

But goodness alone is never enough. A hard, cold wisdom is required for goodness to accomplish good. Goodness without wisdom always accomplishes evil.

My errors will point to thinking men the various roads, and will teach them the great art of treading on the brink of the precipice without falling into it.

Common sense is the measure of the possible; it is composed of experience and prevision; it is calculation applied to life.

The wise does at once what the fool does at last.

Let no one trust so entirely to natural prudence as to persuade himself that it will suffice to guide him without help from experience.

Discretion is the perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of life.

Be as smart as you can, but remember that it is always better to be wise than to be smart.