Classic Literature

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Classic Literature

Ovid Quotes

By Esther Lombardi, About.com

Ovid was a Roman poet, who is perhaps best known for "Metamorphoses." Here are a few quotes from Ovid.
  • "The gods favor the bold."

  • "To be loved, be lovable."

  • "Habits change into character."

  • "Fortune and love favor the brave."

  • "To feed the flames. —Alere flammas"

  • "The burden which is well borne becomes light."

  • "It is art to conceal art. —Ars est celare artem"

  • "Dripping hollows out rock. —Gutta cavat lapidem"

  • "In our play we reveal what kind of people we are."

  • "Add little to little and there will be a big pile."

  • "I see and approve better things, but follow worse."

  • "The burden becomes light which is cheerfully borne."

  • "Either do not attempt at all or go through with it."

  • "Wine gives courage and makes men more apt for passion."

  • "There is a God within us, and we glow when He stirs us."

  • "The glow of inspiration warms us; it is a holy rapture."

  • "Everyone is a millionaire where promises are concerned."

  • "Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."

  • "Fools laugh at the Latin language. —Rident stolidi verba Latina"

  • "Courage conquers all things; it even gives strength to the body."

  • "Love, and a cough, are not concealed. —Amor tussisque non celantur"

  • "We are slow to believe that which if believed would hurt our feelings."

  • "There are a thousand forms of evil; there will be a thousand remedies."

  • "The workmanship surpassed the subject matter. —Materiam superabat opus"

  • "He who has lived in obscurity has lived well —Bene qui latuit bene vixit"

  • "There is no such thing as pure pleasure; some anxiety always goes with it."

  • "It is the mind that makes the man, and our vigour is in our immortal soul."

  • "A burden which is done well becomes light. —Leve fit, quod bene fertur, onus"

  • "What is allowed us is disagreeable, what is denied us causes us intense desire."

  • "A boar is often held by a not-so-large dog. —A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper"

  • "Said of Ennius: Greatest in genius, rough in skill. —Ingenio maximus, arte rudis"

  • "Nations and empires flourish and decay, By turns command, and in their turns obey."

  • "You who seek an end of love, love yields to business: be busy, and you will be safe."

  • "Often the prickly thorn produces tender roses. —Saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas"

  • "He who is not prepared today will be less so tomorrow —Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit"

  • "Every lover is a soldier and has his camp in Cupid. —Militat omnis amans et habet sua castra Cupido"

  • "Everything which I said could not happen will happen now. —Omnia iam fient fieri quae posse negabam"

  • "The spirited horse, which will try to win the race of its own accord, will run ever faster if encouraged."

  • "Happy is the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind, and has given up worrying once and for all."

  • "Be patient and tough; one day this pain will be useful to you. —Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim"

  • "Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish."

  • "Whether they give or refuse, it delights women just the same to have been asked. —Quae dant, quaeque negant, gaudent tamen esse rogatae."

  • "As long as you are lucky, you will have many friends; if cloudy times appear, you will be alone. —Donec eris felix, multos numerabis amicos; tempora si fuerint nubila, solus eris"

  • Sleep, rest of nature, O sleep, most gentle of the divinities, peace of the soul, thou at whose presence care disappears, who soothest hearts wearied with daily employments, and makest them strong again for labour!"

  • "All things change, nothing is extinguished. . . . There is nothing in the whole world which is permanent. Everything flows onward; all things are brought into being with a changing nature; the ages themselves glide by in constant movement."

Explore Classic Literature

More from About.com

Browse All About.com

Classic Literature

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Classic Literature
  4. A-Z Literature & Authors
  5. A-to-Z Writers
  6. A-to-Z Writers
  7. O - Writers - Last Names
  8. Ovid (Ovidius)
  9. Ovid Quotes

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.