234+Cicero Quotes to Awaken the Philosopher Within You

Marcus Tullius Cicero, the legendary Roman orator, philosopher, and statesman, left behind a treasure trove of timeless wisdom.

Whether you’re seeking insight into politics, philosophy, leadership, or simply looking for memorable lines from pop culture references like Skyrim, Cicero’s quotes offer sharp clarity and deep meaning.

This curated collection of Cicero quotes is crafted to inspire thinkers, leaders, and everyday seekers of truth.

With powerful reflections on life, government, and wisdom, you’ll find guidance, motivation, and even a touch of dark humor.

Let’s explore Cicero’s enduring words that continue to shape minds across generations.

Marcus Tullius Cicero Quotes

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The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living
A room without books is like a body without a soul
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others
The authority of those who teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need
The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk
Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error
The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as its interpreter
Friendship improves happiness and abates misery
Silence is one of the great arts of conversation
The good of the people is the greatest law
We are bound by the law so we may be free
While there’s life, there’s hope
It is foolish to tear one’s hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness
The shifts of Fortune test the reliability of friends

Cicero Quotes on Government

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The safety of the people shall be the highest law
Freedom is participation in power
The welfare of the people is the ultimate law
In a republic, this rule ought to be observed: that the majority should not have the predominant power
A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious, but it cannot survive treason from within
The people’s good is the highest law
The budget should be balanced, the treasury refilled, public debt reduced
The more laws, the less justice
A government should be led by reason, not by force
The foundation of justice is good faith
Laws should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with justice
Injustice often arises through silence
Let arms yield to the toga
The power of the state is best preserved by moderation
The republic is not made by the power of arms but by the force of law

Cicero Quotes Skyrim

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Madness is merely a different kind of sanity
Sweet mother, sweet mother, send your child unto me
You walk among the living, but you are not one of them
Is it time for the next dance? Oh, how I love the dance of death
I once served the King of Rimmen and he was nothing compared to the Night Mother
The listener is among us
Oh, listener, how lovely your voice sounds in the void
Cicero never forgets a friend
The Night Mother loves you
Bound in shadows, we are eternal
Let’s kill someone! Hee hee!
Every moment is a gift… especially the ones filled with screams
Shhh… she speaks to me
The void beckons!
Silence, my brother, silence forever

Marcus Cicero Quotes

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Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body
Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity
A friend is, as it were, a second self
He only employs his passion who can make no use of reason
We are not born for ourselves alone
The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience
It is the character of a brave and resolute person not to be ruffled by adversity
A nation without a past is a nation without a future
Nature herself has imprinted on the minds of all the idea of God
Knowledge which is divorced from justice may be called cunning rather than wisdom
The memory of a great man survives in the minds of those he has touched
Patience is the companion of wisdom
The false is nothing but an imitation of the true
The more eloquent a man is, the greater the danger he may be misleading
There is no fortress so strong that money cannot take it

Cicero Quotes on Wisdom

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Wisdom is the daughter of experience
The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil
The pursuit of wisdom is more valuable than silver or gold
Not for ourselves alone are we born
To live long, it is necessary to live wisely
The wise man is always happy
It is a great thing to know your vices
A mind without instruction can no more bear fruit than can a field, however fertile, without cultivation
The wise are content with little
It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment
Wisdom begins in wonder
It is better to receive a benefit with gratitude than to give it with arrogance
True wisdom is knowing what not to do
Knowledge without justice ought to be called cunning rather than wisdom
The wise man avoids extremes

Cicero Quotes on Life

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Life is nothing without friendship
To be content with what we possess is the greatest and most secure of riches
Life is short, but honor lasts forever
A life without virtue is not worth living
He who has not learned to love has not learned to live
Let your desires be ruled by reason
Life gives nothing to mortals without great labor
The soul is the true self
Life is a play; it’s not the length, but the excellence of the acting that matters
What is life worth without laughter?
To live is to think
The life well lived is the reward itself
Fear is not a lasting teacher
The greatest pleasures are the simplest ones
In life, timing is everything

Skyrim Cicero Quotes

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The Night Mother speaks only to me
Listener! Oh, you are so wonderfully… weird
I am the jester of death
Cicero lives to serve
The void is eternal and lovely
Blood! So much blood!
It’s not madness… it’s clarity!
Death is my favorite performance
I obey the Night Mother’s whispers
Isn’t killing fun?
The listener hears… and obeys
To kill with style is to kill with art
You can’t silence the laughter
Shadows hide all sins
The blade dances best in the dark

Famous Cicero Quotes

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A room without books is like a body without a soul
The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others
The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living
The safety of the people shall be the highest law
Friendship makes prosperity more shining and lessens adversity
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need
The more laws, the less justice
Silence is one of the great arts of conversation
The enemy is within the gates
What is morally wrong can never be politically right
Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error
To study philosophy is nothing but to prepare one’s self to die
Law is the bond of society
Nothing is so unbelievable that oratory cannot make it acceptable

Cicero Quotes on Leadership

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He who commands well must obey well
The best commander is he who knows when not to fight
Leadership is not about power, but about responsibility
A leader should be a beacon, not a tyrant
Those who rule must first learn to serve
True leaders build unity, not division
The wise leader listens more than he speaks
A ruler’s greatest strength lies in justice
Influence is earned through integrity
A good leader is the guardian of law
The leader’s vision must serve the public good
Power reveals the true nature of a man
A just leader is remembered beyond his time
Fear is a weak foundation for leadership
A nation rises or falls on the strength of its leaders

Conclusion

Cicero’s words continue to echo through time, offering wisdom on law, virtue, friendship, and the human spirit. His quotes reveal not only the brilliance of a Roman statesman but also the timeless truths that still resonate in modern life. Whether you’re seeking guidance in leadership, clarity in morality, or inspiration for personal growth, Cicero’s reflections serve as a powerful compass. Let these quotes remind us that true wisdom never fades—it only becomes more relevant with each passing generation.

Lily Grace