"Pharsalia," I, 32,--_Lucan_.
MARCUS ANNAEUS LUCANUS (LUCAN), a celebrated Latin poet, was born at
Cordova, Spain, A.D. 39, and died at Rome, A.D. 65. He is best known by
his epic poem, "Pharsalia."
Quid crastina volveret ætas,
Scire nefos homini.[4]
"Thebaid," III. 562,--_Statius_.
PUBLIUS PAPINIUS STATIUS, a famous Roman poet, was born at Naples, about
A.D. 45, and died there, about A.D. 96. His chief work is, "The
Thebaid," an epic poem in twelve books.
Difficulties are things that show what men are.
"Discourses," Chap. xxiv,--_Epictetus_.
EPICTETUS, a celebrated Greek Stoic philosopher, was born at Hierapolis
in Phrygia, about A.D. 50. No works of his have come down to our time,
but his maxims were collected and published in the "Encheiridion," or
Handbook, and the "Commentaries" in eight books.
The gods looked with favour on superior courage.
--_Tacitus_.
PUBLIUS CORNELIUS TACITUS, a great Latin historian, was born about A.D.
54. He wrote the dialogue "De Oratoribus," the "Annals," the "Agricola,"
the "Germania," ("On the Manners of the Germans"), and his "History."
No man ever became extremely wicked all at once.
"Satire ii," 83,--_Juvenal_.
JUVENAL, the renowned Latin poet, was born at Aquinum, about A.D. 60,
and died about A.D. 140. Sixteen of his famous satires are extant.
Never do a thing concerning the rectitude of which you are in
doubt.
"Letters," Letter xviii, 5,--_Pliny the Younger_.
PLINY THE YOUNGER, a noted Roman orator, nephew of Pliny the Elder, was
born at Comum, A.D. 61, and died about 113. Of his numerous forensic
works, only one oration is extant, "The Panegyric," also his "Letters."
To conduct great matters and never commit a fault is above the
force of human nature.
"Life of Fabius,"--_Plutarch_.
PLUTARCH, the celebrated Greek moralist, practical philosopher, and
biographer was born at Chæronea in Boeotia. The year of his birth and
death are not known, but he was very old at the death of Trajan, A.D.
117. He wrote: "Parallel Lives," and many "Moral Treatises," including
"The Education of Children," "The Right Way of Hearing," "Precepts About
Health," "Cessation of Oracles," "The Pythian Responses," "The Retarded
Vengeance of the Deity," "The Dæmon of Socrates," "The Virtues of
Women," "On the Fortune of the Romans," "Political Counsels," "On
Superstition," "On Isis and Osiris," "On the Pace of the Moon's Disk,"
"On the Opinions Accepted by the Philosophers."
A boy of five years old serene and gay,
Unpitying Hades hurried me away.
Yet weep not for Callimachus: if few
The days I lived, few were my sorrows too.
--_Lucian_.
LUCIAN, the celebrated Greek satirist, was born at Samosata, in northern
Syria, about 120 A.D., and died about 200 A.D. Among his writings are:
"Praise of Demosthenes," "Dialogues of the Gods," "Dialogues of the Sea
Gods," "Dialogues of the Dead," "The True History," "Lucius; or The
Ass," "Death of Peregrinus," "The Fisherman," "The Sea Voyage, or
Votive Offerings," "The Sale of Lives," "Alexander, or The False
Prophet," "Hermotimus," etc.
Neither fear, nor wish for, your last day.
Epigram x, 47.13,--_Martial_.
MARTIAL, a famous Latin poet, was born at Bilbilis, Spain, A.D. 50 (?),
and died in Spain, 102 (?). His fame rests upon his "Epigrams" in
fifteen books.
Suetonius says of the Emperor Titus: "Once at supper, reflecting
that he had done nothing for any that day, he broke out into that
memorable and justly admired saying, 'My friends, I have lost a
day!'"
"Lives of Twelve Cæsars" (Translation by Alexander
Thomson),--_Suetonius_.
SUETONIUS, a famous Latin chronicler, grammarian, and critic, flourished
in the early part of the second century of our era. His works include:
"Distinguished Orators," "Illustrious Grammarians," "Lives of the
Cæsars," etc.
When I am at Rome I fast as the Romans do; when I am at Milan I do
not fast. So likewise you, whatever church you come to, observe
the custom of the place, if you would neither give offence to
others, nor take offence from them.
"Advice to St. Austin on Sabbath Keeping,"--_St. Ambrose_.
SAINT AMBROSE, one of the fathers of the Latin Church, born at Trèves,
Gaul, probably A.D. 340, died at Milan, April 4, A.D. 397. His writings
include: "Of the Duties of the Clergy," "Hexæmeron," hymns, etc. He
became bishop of Milan in 374.
Socrates said, "Those who want fewest things are nearest to the
gods."
"Socrates," XI,--_Diogenes Laertius_.
DIOGENES LAERTIUS, a famous Greek compiler of anecdotes, flourished
about A.D. 200-250, a native of Lærte in Cilicia. He wrote a collection
of notes and memoranda (in 10 books), "On the Lives, Teachings, and
Sayings of Famous Men."
None can injure him, who does not injure himself.
--_Chrysostom_.
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, a noted Greek Church father, born in Antioch,
Syria, 350 (?), and died at Comana, 407. His works, comprising homilies,
commentaries, liturgies, epistles, etc., can be found in 13 volumes,
fol. (1718).