{"id":84670,"date":"2020-11-15T11:23:55","date_gmt":"2020-11-15T10:23:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/?page_id=84670"},"modified":"2025-06-04T22:04:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T20:04:44","slug":"quotes-of-augustus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-art-and-culture\/golden-thoughts-of-romans\/quotes-of-augustus\/","title":{"rendered":"Quotes of Augustus"},"content":{"rendered":"    <div class=\"ramka_ze_zdjeciem float-right \"\n         style=\"\">\n\n        <div class=\"zdjecie\">\n            <img\n                class=\"ramka-ze-zdjeciem\"\n                src=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Imperium_Romanum-315x400.jpg\"\n                srcset=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Imperium_Romanum-315x400.jpg 315w, https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Imperium_Romanum-640x812.jpg 640w, https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Imperium_Romanum.jpg 1200w\"                alt=\"Augustus\"\n                width=\"250\"\n                height=\"317\"\n               \n               \n            \/>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Imperium_Romanum.jpg\"\n               rel=\"fancybox\"\n               title=\"Augustus\">\n                <div class=\"iover\">\n                    <div class=\"zicon\">\n                        <i class=\"fa fa-search-plus\"><\/i>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\n                    <div class=\"opis\">\n                                <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/biographies\/augustus\/\">Augustus<\/a>            <\/div>\n        \n        \n    <\/div>\n    \n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/biographies\/augustus\/\">Augustus<\/a>\u00a0(<em><a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/curiosities\/as-you-are-gaius-i-am-gaia-well-known-roman-phrase\/\">Gaius<\/a> Iulius <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/curiosities\/caesar-queen-of-nicomedes\/\">Caesar<\/a> Octavianus<\/em><em>)<\/em> lived in the years 63 BCE &#8211; 14 CE. He was the first <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/article\/emperor-who-was-chosen-by-gods\/\">emperor<\/a> of <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-geography\/roman-cities\/rome-eternal-city\/\">Rome<\/a> in 27 BCE &#8211; 14 CE and the creator of the so-called <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-constitution\/roman-empire\/principate\/\">principate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cyt\">\n<li>&#8220;The sea I pacified from pirates&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Mare pacavi a praedonibus]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: in the time of Octavian, in 5 BCE, the threat of <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wars\/ancient-romans-fights-with-pirates\/\">pirates<\/a> was dealt with. <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/discoveries\/roman-remains-from-1600-years-ago-have-been-discovered\/\">In total<\/a>, 4000 Cillicians were taken prisoner.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: <em>Res Gestae<\/em>, 25<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Have I played my part well in the comedy of life?&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: one of the words spoken on his deathbed<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/biographies\/suetonius\/\">Suetonius<\/a>, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 99<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;That is done quickly enough which is done well enough&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Sat celeriter fieri quidquid fiat satis bene]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 25<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Live mindful of our wedlock, Livia, and farewell!&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Livia, nostri coniugii memor vive, ac vale!]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: according to Suetonius, Augustus died with these words on his lips, embracing Livia<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 99<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;On the Greek Kalends&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Ad calendas Graecas]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: in the Greek <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-religion\/roman-calendar\/\">calendar<\/a> (which, incidentally, was very different depending on the polis), there were no characteristic Roman specifications: Kalends, Nones and Ides. August, when he doubted that the debtor would pay off his debt, used to say that he would pay for the Greek calendars, so &#8220;for Holy Never&#8221; &#8211; there were no calendars in the Greek calendar.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 87<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;May it be my privilege to establish the State in a firm and secure position, and reap from that act the fruit that I desire; but only if I may be called the author of the best possible government, and bear with me the hope when I die that the foundations which I have laid for the State will remain unshaken&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Ita mihi salvam ac sospitem rem p. sistere in sua sede liceat atque eius rei fructum percipere, quem peto, ut optimi status auctor dicar et moriens ut feram mecum spem, mansura in vestigio suo fundamenta rei p. quae iecero]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: the words of Augustus said in one of the proclamations that characterized his rule<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 28<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Having attained my highest hopes, Fathers of the <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-constitution\/roman-republic\/roman-offices\/roman-senate\/\">Senate<\/a>, what more have I to ask of the immortal <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-religion\/gods-of-ancient-rome\/\">gods<\/a> than that I may retain this same unanimous approval of yours to the very end of my life&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Compos factus votorum meorum, p. c., quid habeo aliud deos immortales precari, quam ut hunc consensum vestrum ad ultimum finem vitae mihi perferre liceat?]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: Augustus&#8217; response to the name received from the Senate &#8220;Father of the Country&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 58<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;The noisomeness of far-fetched words&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Reconditorum verborum]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: a scornful term for outdated expressions which Augustus detested.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 86<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;More haste, less speed&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Festina lente]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: Augustus spoke those words in Greek, believing that it was not fitting for a leader to make hasty and ill-considered decisions<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 25<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;The play is over&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Acta est fabula]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: the words ending a <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-society\/entertainment-in-ancient-rome\/theater-performances-in-ancient-rome\/\">theater<\/a> play in ancient Rome. These words were said to have been uttered by Octavian on his deathbed. In the work of Suetonius, however, we find &#8220;Since well I&#8217;ve played my part, all clap your hands&#8221; (<em>Augustus<\/em>, 99)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Quicker than you can cook asparagus&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Velocius quam asparagi conquantur]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: Octavian used to say those words to illustrate the smooth performance<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 87<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;You must die&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Moriendum esse]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: words spoken by Augustus in response to opponents&#8217; pleas for favor after the capture of Perusia<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 15<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Quintilius <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/biographies\/publius-quintilius-varus\/\">Varus<\/a>, give me back my legions!&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Vare, redde mihi legiones!]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: words spoken after the defeat in the <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/battles\/battle-of-the-teutoburg-forest\/\">Teutoburg Forest<\/a> (9 CE), in which Publius Varus lost three legions. This defeat shook Augustus strongly; he did not shave or cut hair for several months, and he celebrated each anniversary in mourning.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 23<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Present a petition with as much hesitation as he would a penny to an elephant&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Quod sic sibi libellum porrigere dubitaret, quasi elephanto stipem]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: playfully rebuked the petitioners who approached him with fear<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 53<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Those who slew my father I drove into exile, punishing their deed by due process of law, and afterwards when they waged war upon the republic I twice defeated them in battle&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Qui parentem meum interfecerunt, eos in exilium expuli iudiciis legi timis ultus eorum facinus, et postea bellum inferentis rei publicae <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/curiosities\/veni-vidi-vici-where-do-these-words-come-from\/\">vici<\/a> bis acie]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: <em>Res Gestae divi Augusti<\/em>, 2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Found it built of brick and left it in marble&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Marmoream se relinquere, quam latericiam accepisse]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 28<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;My wish was to see a <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-constitution\/roman-kingdom\/roman-kings\/\">king<\/a>, not corpses&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Regem voluisse videre, non mortuos]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: after defeating Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BCE, Octavian gained power in Egypt. During his stay in Alexandria, he decided to visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/curiosities\/tomb-of-alexander-the-great\/\">tomb of Alexander the Great<\/a>. The future emperor, as a sign of respect, was to put a crown on the head of the Macedonian king and general and shower him with flowers. Then he was asked whether he also wanted to visit the Ptolemaic tomb; Augustus was to answer with the words just mentioned.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 18<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;I have contrived this to lead the citizens to require\u200b me, while I live, and the rulers of later times as well, to attain the standard set by those worthies of old&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Commentum id se, ut ad illorum vitam\u200b25 velut ad exemplar et ipse, dum viveret, et insequentium aetatium <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-army\/units-of-roman-army\/principes\/\">principes<\/a> exigerentur a civibus]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: Augustus ordered that the original inscriptions aas well as the statues of the initiators of the buildings, will be preserved when the renovation was completed.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 31<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;You surely did not kill your father, did you?&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Certe patrem tuum non occidisti?]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: During his reign, Augustus had personal control over court sentences. For the patricide in ancient Rome, the condemned man was beaten to the blood with rods (<em>virgis sanguineis<\/em>), then he was sewed into a sack together with a monkey, a <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/article\/dog-in-ancient-rome\/\">dog<\/a>, a rooster and a snake, and thrown into the river. However, for the punishment to be fulfilled, the accused had to plead guilty. Octavian, in order to dispel all doubts, asked such a question.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 33<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;My son-in\u2011law <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/biographies\/marcus-vipsanius-agrippa\/\">Agrippa<\/a> has taken good care, by building several <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/roman-art-and-culture\/roman-architecture\/roman-buildings\/roman-aqueducts\/\">aqueducts<\/a>, that men shall not go thirsty&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Satis provisum a genero suo Agrippa perductis pluribus aquis, ne homines sitirent]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: when the people complained about the lack of or expensive wine.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 42<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;I would rather have been Phoebe&#8217;s father&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Maluisse se ait Phoebes\u200b patrem fuisse]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: reaction to the news that the freedwoman Phoebe\u200b, a friend of Julia, Augustus&#8217; daughter, had hanged herself. Julia brought disgrace to August with her promiscuous way of life.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 65<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;The birds will soon settle that question&#8221;\n<ul class=\"cyt2\">\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">latin<\/span>: <em>[Iam istam volucrum fore potestatem]<\/em><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">description<\/span>: when the captives from <a href=\"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/battles\/battle-of-philippi\/\">Philippi<\/a> asked him for a dignified burial after their execution.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"underlined\">source<\/span>: Suetonius, <em>Augustus<\/em>, 13<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Augustus\u00a0(Gaius Iulius Caesar Octavianus) lived in the years 63 BCE &#8211; 14 CE. He was the first emperor of Rome in 27 BCE &#8211; 14 CE and the creator of the so-called principate. &#8220;The sea I pacified from pirates&#8221; latin: [Mare pacavi a praedonibus] description: in the time of Octavian, in 5 BCE, the threat [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":36925,"parent":70268,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-84670","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/84670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84670"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/84670\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70268"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}