Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.
Marcus Tullius CiceroRead
Every word that is unnecessary only pours over the side of a brimming mind.
Interpretation
Unnecessary words clutter the mind and dilute communication.
This quote by Cicero highlights the importance of clarity and conciseness in communication. It suggests that when we include extraneous words, we distract from the core message and overwhelm the listener, much like an overflowing cup that cannot hold any more liquid. Thus, it advocates for thoughtful expression, urging us to convey ideas in a straightforward manner.
In practice
In a presentation about effective communication, you might quote Cicero to emphasize the value of brevity.
Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.
Those wars are unjust which are undertaken without provocation. For only a war waged for revenge or defence can actually be just.
Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak.
Nothing contributes to the entertainment of the reader more, than the change of times and the vicissitudes of fortune.
No one has the right to be sorry for himself for a misfortune that strikes everyone.
Advice in old age is foolish; for what can be more absurd than to increase our provisions for the road the nearer we approach to our journey's end.
God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.
Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
You must purge yourself before finding faults in others.
One must be reasonable in one's demands on life. For myself, all that I ask is: (1) accurate information; (2) coherent knowledge; (3) deep understanding; (4) infinite loving wisdom; (5) no more kidney stones, please.
A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever.
The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful then a thousand heads bowing in prayer.
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