Top 10 Famous Quotes by Quintus Ennius

Quintus Ennius (239-169 BCE) was an influential early Roman poet often considered the father of Roman poetry. Born in Rudiae, a town in southern Italy, Ennius was fluent in Latin, Greek, and Oscan. His most renowned work is the "Annales," an epic poem that chronicled Roman history from its mythical origins to his own time, written in dactylic hexameter, which helped establish this meter in Latin literature. Ennius also wrote tragedies, comedies, and philosophical works, significantly shaping Roman literary traditions and influencing later poets like Virgil and Horace. His integration of Greek literary models into Roman culture marked a pivotal point in the development of Roman literature.

Top 10 Famous Quotes by Quintus Ennius

1. “The victor is not victorious if the vanquished does not consider himself so.”
— Quintus Ennius

2. “The idle mind knows not what it wants.”
— Quintus Ennius

3. “He who has two languages has two souls.”
— Quintus Ennius

4. “Let no one weep for me, or celebrate my funeral with mourning; for I still live, as I pass to and fro through the mouths of men.”
— Quintus Ennius

5. “A true friend is distinguished in the crisis of hazard and necessity; when the gallantry of his aid may show the worth of his soul and the loyalty of his heart.”
— Quintus Ennius

6. “Ennius was the father of Roman poetry, because he first introduced into Latin the Greek manner and in particular the hexameter metre.”
— Quintus Ennius

7. “No one regards what is before his feet; we all gaze at the stars.”
— Quintus Ennius

8. “A sure friend is known in unsure circumstances.”
— Quintus Ennius

9. “A true friend is tested in adversity.”
— Quintus Ennius

10. “O friend unseen, unborn, unknown, Student of our sweet English tongue, I never indulge in poetics – Unless I am down with rheumatics.”
— Quintus Ennius