The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.
TacitusRead
Abuse if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated, you will be thought to have deserved it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ignoring minor insults can prevent them from escalating, while reacting may confirm their validity.
This quote from Tacitus suggests that when faced with abuse or slighting remarks, it is often wiser to disregard them. By ignoring such negativity, the motivation behind it can diminish over time. However, responding with irritation may lead others to believe that the provocations were justified, amplifying the issue rather than resolving it.
Themes
AbuseResponseIrritationWisdomConflict
In practice
Example use cases
In a moment of public speaking, this quote can illustrate the power of calmness in the face of criticism.
More from Tacitus
All quotes βIn private enterprises men may advance or recede, whereas they who aim at empire have no alternative between the highest success and utter downfall.
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Great empires are not maintained by timidity.
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Things are not to be judged good or bad merely because the public think so.
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So obscure are the greatest events, as some take for granted any hearsay, whatever its source, others turn truth into falsehood, and both errors find encouragement with posterity.
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The brave and bold persist even against fortune; the timid and cowardly rush to despair though fear alone.
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