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Quotes of Gaius Petronius

This post is also available in: Polish (polski)

Gaius Petronius the Arbiter (Gaius Petronius) lived in the years 27-66 CE. He was a Roman writer, poet, philosopher and politician. He is credited with the authorship of the anonymously published novel Satyricon. He gained a lot of influence on Emperor Nero, bored with the stoic Seneca.

  • “Almost the whole world are actors”
    • latin: [Fere totus mundus exercet histrionem]
    • source: Gaius Petronius, Satyricon
  • “He’s gone to join the majority”
    • latin: [Abiit ad plures]
    • description: meaning the dead.
    • source: Gaius Petronius, Satyricon, Cena Trimalchionis, 42, 5
  • “But an old love pinches like a crab”
    • latin: [Antiquus amor cancer est]
    • description: in the sense of: “old love does not pass”.
    • source: Gaius Petronius, Satyricon, 42
  • “Fear first made gods in the world”
    • latin: [Primus in orbe deos fecit timor]
    • source: Gaius Petronius, Satyricon, 27, 1
  • “Beware of dog!”
    • latin: [Cave canem!]
    • description: an inscription that was located in front of the entrance to some Roman houses.
    • source: Gaius Petronius, Satyricon, 29, 1
  • “The love of creative genius never made anyone rich”
    • latin: [Amor ingenii neminem umquam divitem fecit]
    • source: Gaius Petronius, Satyricon, 83, 9
  • “To strive with the winds”
    • latin: [Cum ventis litigare]
    • source: Gaius Petronius, Satyricon, 83