Marcus Valerius Martialis (40–104,) was a Roman poet from Hispania best known for his twelve books of Epigrams, published in Rome between AD 86 and 103, during the reigns of the emperors Domitian, Nerva and Trajan. In these short, witty poems he cheerfully satirises city life and the scandalous activities of his acquaintances, and romanticises his provincial upbringing. He wrote a total of 1,561, of which 1,235 are in elegiac couplets. He is considered to be the creator of the modern epigram.
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Tomorrow I will live, the fool does say: today itself’s too late; the wise lived yesterday.
—Martial
To be able to look back upon one’s past life with satisfaction is to live twice.
—Martial
A good man doubles the length of his existence; to have lived so as to look back with pleasure on our past life is to live twice.
—Martial
Laugh if you are wise.
—Martial
If fame is only to come after death, I am in no hurry for it.
—Martial
Be content with what you are, and wish not change; nor dread your last day, nor long for it.
—Martial
Whoever makes great presents expects great presents in return.
—Martial
While you cannot resolve what you are, at last you will be nothing.
—Martial
Topics: Being Ourselves
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