Quotes from the Ancient Past

An Unnamed Roman Emperor Comments on the Good Life
In the medieval manuscript Gesta Romanorum is reported this comment, said to have been written on the sarcophagus of an ancient Roman emperor.

Cicero on Children
A quotation from the ancient Roman historian Cicero.

Confucius on the Extension of Great Knowledge
Chinese philospher Confucius on the wisdom of applying yourself

Khufu on a job well done
Something Khufu (also known as Cheops) might have said to the guys who ran the treasury.

Plutarch on the Difficulty of History
A quote from Plutarch's Lives shows things really haven't changed all that much since the first century AD.

Ptahhotep on the Limits of Skill
The Old Kingdom Egyptian vizier and teacher Ptahhotep from the 6th dynasty, wrote a text that survives to this day, called The Instruction of Ptahhotep.

The Guanzi on Understanding the Present
The ancient collection of manuscripts called the Guanzi has numerous pieces of advice for us modern-day sorts.

Yasumaro on the Teachings of the Ancients
Yasumaro was the author of the oldest surviving written document of the Japanese language, the Kojiki.