Ovid

Metamorphoses

Ancient influential 162 sayings

Sayings by Ovid

Quidquid erit, superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est.

~8 AD — Metamorphoses, Book XIV, line 290
Controversial Unverifiable

Vincit amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido.

~8 AD — Fasti, Book I, line 499 (often attributed to Virgil, Aeneid VI, 823, but Ovid uses a similar phrase)
Controversial Unverifiable

Carmina sola carent fato.

~16 BC — Amores, Book I, Elegy XV, line 23
Controversial Unverifiable

Cedere non semper turpe est.

~1 BC — Ars Amatoria, Book II, line 197
Controversial Unverifiable

Scilicet est aliqua, quae te quoque dicat amare.

~16 BC — Amores, Book II, Elegy XI, line 4
Controversial Unverifiable

Nulla dies sine linea.

— A common proverb, often attributed to Apelles, but Ovid speaks of continuous effort in writing.
Controversial Unverifiable

Ingenium quondam fuerat sine corpore virtus.

~8 AD — Metamorphoses, Book I, line 249
Controversial Unverifiable

Medio tutissimus ibis.

~8 AD — Metamorphoses, Book II, line 137
Controversial Unverifiable

Cura leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent.

— Heroides, XV, line 75 (often attributed to Seneca or others)
Controversial Unverifiable

Ars est celare artem.

~1 BC — Ars Amatoria, Book II, line 313 (often simplified, the full line is: 'Si latet ars prodest; adfert d…
Controversial Unverifiable

Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis.

— Often attributed to Ovid, but appears in later works. Not a direct quote.
Controversial Unverifiable

Credula res amor est.

~8 AD — Metamorphoses, Book VII, line 826
Controversial Unverifiable

Desine sollicitis animum tabescere curis.

~2 AD — Remedia Amoris, line 125
Controversial Unverifiable

Et latet et lucet.

~8 AD — Metamorphoses, Book II, line 597 (referring to the reflection of the sun)
Controversial Unverifiable

Fallere credentem non est operosa puellam.

~1 BC — Ars Amatoria, Book I, line 243
Controversial Unverifiable

Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis.

~1 BC — Ars Amatoria, Book III, line 339
Controversial Unverifiable

Ignibus aequis.

~8 AD — Metamorphoses, Book II, line 23
Controversial Unverifiable

In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas corpora.

~8 AD — Metamorphoses, Book I, lines 1-2
Controversial Unverifiable

Longa mora est nobis omnis, quae gaudia differt.

~15 BC — Heroides, IV, line 175
Controversial Unverifiable

Multa petentibus desunt multa.

~8 AD — Fasti, Book I, line 211
Controversial Unverifiable