Quintilian Quotes

Quotes about:

• We should not speak so that it is possible for the audience to understand us, but so that it is impossible for them to misunderstand us.

  Quintilian

  Writing, Simplicity, Impossible

  "Institutio Oratoria (Institutes of Oratory)". Book by Quintilian (Book VIII, Chapter II), circa 95 AD.

  35 Copy quote

• Whilst we deliberate how to begin a thing, it grows too late to begin it.

  Quintilian

  Procrastination, Too Late, Grows

  57 Copy quote

• That which offends the ear will not easily gain admission to the mind.

  Quintilian

  Inspirational, Mind, Ears

  6 Copy quote

• One should aim not at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand.

  Quintilian

  Writing, Impossible, Language

  21 Copy quote

• We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.

  Quintilian

  Book, Reading, Mind

  20 Copy quote

• We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.

  Quintilian

  Life, Sloth, Excuse

  "Institutio Oratoria". Textbook by Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, I. 12,

  29 Copy quote

• It is the heart which inspires eloquence.

  Quintilian

  Heart, Inspire, Eloquence

  11 Copy quote

• The mind is exercised by the variety and multiplicity of the subject matter, while the character is moulded by the contemplation of virtue and vice.

  Quintilian

  Character, Mind, Vices

  Quintilian (1953). “The Instituto Oratoria of Quintilian”

  8 Copy quote

• Usage is the best language teacher.

  Quintilian

  Teacher, Language, Usage

  4 Copy quote

• A mediocre speech supported by all the power of delivery will be more impressive than the best speech unaccompanied by such power.

  Quintilian

  Training, Speech, Impressive

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.572, Delphi Classics

  20 Copy quote

• Study depends on the goodwill of the student, a quality that cannot be secured by compulsion.

  Quintilian

  Teaching, Quality, Students

  20 Copy quote

• In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept.

  Quintilian

  Experience, Valuable

  "De Institutione Oratoria" by Marcus Fabius Quintilianus as reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations, p. 244-45., 1922.

  14 Copy quote

• Everything that has a beginning comes to an end.

  Quintilian

  Ends

  "De Institutione Oratoria". V. 10,

  12 Copy quote

• Conscience is a thousand witnesses.

  Quintilian

  Witness, Thousand, Conscience

  6 Copy quote

• Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.

  Quintilian

  Wise, Wish, Fool

  "Institutes of Oratory (Volume X)". Book by Quintilian, 95 CE.

  14 Copy quote

• A laugh costs too much when bought at the expense of virtue.

  Quintilian

  Laughing, Cost, Too Much

  "Institutio Oratoria". Textbook by Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, VI. 3. 5,

  11 Copy quote

• Virtue, though she gets her beginning from nature, yet receives her finishing touches from learning.

  Quintilian

  Finishing, Virtue, Finishing Touches

  4 Copy quote

• Write quickly and you will never write well; write well, and you will soon write quickly.

  Quintilian

  Writing, Wells

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.528, Delphi Classics

  26 Copy quote

• Fear of the future is worse than one's present fortune.

  Quintilian

  Life, Fortune, Fear Of The Future

  "De Institutione Oratoria", XII. 5, as quoted in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations, p. 289-93, 1922.

  5 Copy quote

• An evil-speaker differs from an evil-doer only in the want of opportunity.

  Quintilian

  Opportunity, Evil, Want

  "De Institutione Oratoria" by Marcus Fabius Quintilianus as reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations, p. 244-45., 1922.

  19 Copy quote

• Give me the boy who rouses when he is praised, who profits when he is encouraged and who cries when he is defeated. Such a boy will be fired by ambition; he will be stung by reproach, and animated by preference; never shall I apprehend any bad consequences from idleness in such a boy.

  Quintilian

  Ambition, Boys, Giving

  Quintilian (1805). “Quinctilian's Institutes of Eloquence: Or, The Art of Speaking in Public, in Every Character and Capacity”, p.26

  52 Copy quote

• The learned understand the reason of art; the unlearned feel the pleasure.

  Quintilian

  Art, Reason, Pleasure

  9 Copy quote

• A liar should have a good memory.

  Quintilian

  Motivational, Honesty, Memories

  Quintilian (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Quintilian (Illustrated)”, p.1471, Delphi Classics

  11 Copy quote

• For it would have been better that man should have been born dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor.

  Quintilian

  Men, Should Have, Dumb

  "De Institutione Oratoria". Book by Quintilian,

  10 Copy quote

• While we are making up our minds as to when we shall begin. the opportunity is lost.

  Quintilian

  Opportunity, Mind, Lost

  20 Copy quote

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