Tacitus

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Publius Tacitus or Gaius Cornelius Tacitus (ca. 56–ca. 117), Roman orator, lawyer, and senator, is considered one of antiquity's greatest historians.

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Agricola (98)

In De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae, Tacitus describes and praises the life of his father-in-law Gnaeus Julius Agricola, an eminent Roman general. It covers briefly the people and geography of Britain, where Agricola was stationed.

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
- Translation: They plunder, they slaughter, and they steal: this they falsely name Empire, and where they make a wasteland, they call it peace. — translation Loeb Classical Library edition
- End of chapter 30.
- This is a speech by British chieftain Calgacus addressing assembled warriors about Rome's insatiable appetite for conquest and plunder. The chieftain's sentiment can be contrasted to "peace given to the world" which was frequently inscribed on Roman medals. The last part solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant (they make a desert, and call it peace) is often quoted alone. Byron for instance uses the phrase (in English) as follows,
  - Mark where his carnage and his conquests cease!
    He makes a solitude, and calls it — peace.
    - Lord Byron, Bride of Abydos (1813), Canto 2, stanza 20.

Et maiores vestros et posteros cogitate.
- Translation: Think of your forefathers and posterity.
- Chapter 32

Tu vero felix, Agricola, non vitae tantum claritate, sed etiam opportunitate mortismortis.
- Translation: Thou wast indeed fortunate, Agricola, not only in the splendour of thy life, but in the opportune moment of thy death. [1]
- Chapter 45

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Germania (98)

Quanquam severa illic matrimonia
- Translation: However the marriage is there severe.
- Start of chapter 18.
- This is in the sense that the matrimonial bond was strictly observed by the Germans, this being compared favourably against licentiousness in Rome.

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Histories (100-110)

It is the rare fortune of these days that one may think what one likes and say what one thinks.
- Book I, 1

The desire for glory clings even to the best men longer than any other passion.
- Book IV, 6

Deos fortioibus adesse.
- Translation: The gods are on the side of the stronger.
- Book IV, 17

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Annals (117)

The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government.
- Variant: The more corrupt the state, the more laws.
- Original Quote: And now bills were passed, not only for national objects but for individual cases, and laws were most numerous when the commonwealth was most corrupt.
- Book III, 27