Suetonius Quotes

There was a raven, strange to tell, Perched upon Jove's own gable, whence He tried to tell us "All is well!" – But had to use the future tense.

Suetonius

Domitian - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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One evening at dinner, realizing that he had done nobody any favour throughout the entire day, he spoke these memorable words: "My friends, I have wasted a day."

Suetonius

Titus - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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Titus complained of the tax which Vespasian had imposed on the contents of the city urinals. Vespasian handed him a coin which had been part of the first day's proceeds: "Does it smell bad?" he...

Suetonius

Vespasian - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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Once a woman declared that she was desperately in love with him, and he took her to bed with him. "How shall I enter that item in your expense ledger?" asked his accountant later, on learning that...

Suetonius

Vespasian - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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Dead! And so great an artist!

Suetonius

Nero - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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Nero watched the conflagration from the Tower of Maecenas, enraptured by what he called "the beauty of the flames"; then put on his tragedian's costume and sang The Sack of Ilium from beginning to...

Suetonius

Nero - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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His wastefulness showed most of all in the architectural projects. He built a palace, stretching from the Palatine to the Esquiline, which he called…"The Golden House". The following details will...

Suetonius

Nero - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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No one was allowed to leave the theatre during his recitals, however pressing the reason. We read of women in the audience giving birth, and of men being so bored with listening and applauding that...

Suetonius

Nero - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from the city.

Suetonius

Claudius - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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To prevent Incitatus, his favourite horse, from being disturbed he always picketed the neighbourhood with troops on the day before the races, ordering them to enforce absolute silence. Incitatus...

Suetonius

Gaius Caligula - English quotations are taken from the translation of Robert Graves, as amended by Michael Grant: Suetonius The Twelve Caesars - Harmondsworth, 1979.

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