Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English and Foreign Sources. Rev. James Wood
Bellum omnium in omnes—A war of all against all.
Bellum, pax rursus—A war, and again a peace. 45 Ter.
[Greek: beltion thanein hapax ê dia bion tremein]—Better die outright than be all one's life long in terror. Æsop.
Bemerke, höre, schweige. Urteile wenig, frage viel—Take note of what you see, give heed to what you hear, and be silent. Judge little, inquire much. Platen.
Be modest without diffidence, proud without presumption. Goethe.
Benchè la bugia sia veloce, la verità l'arriva—Though a lie may be swift, truth overtakes it. It. Pr.
Beneath the loveliest dream there coils a fear. 50 T. Watts.
Beneath the rule of men entirely great, the pen is mightier than the sword. Bulwer Lytton.
Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade, / Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap, / Each in his narrow cell for ever laid, / The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. Gray.
Ben è cieco chi non vede il sole—He is very blind who does not see the sun. It. Pr.
Benedetto è quel male che vien solo—Blessed is the misfortune that comes alone. It. Pr.
Bene est cui Deus obtulit / Parca quod satis 55 est manu—Well for him to whom God has given enough with a sparing hand. Hor.
Benefacta male locata, malefacta arbitror—Favours injudiciously conferred I reckon evils. Cic.
Benefacta sua verbis adornant—They enhance their favours by their words. Plin.
Beneficia dare qui nescit injuste petit—He who knows not how to bestow a benefit is unreasonable if he expects one. Pub. Syr.
Beneficia plura recipit qui scit reddere—He receives most favours who knows how to return them. Pub. Syr.
Beneficium accipere libertatem vendere est—To 60 accept a favour is to forfeit liberty. Laber.
Beneficium dignis ubi des, omnes obliges—Where you confer a benefit on those worthy of it, you confer a favour on all. Pub. Syr.
Beneficium invito non datur—There is no conferring a favour (involving obligation) on a man against his will. L. Max.
Beneficus est qui non sua, sed alterius causa benigne facit—He is beneficent who acts kindly, not for his own benefit, but for another's. Cic.
Bene merenti bene profuerit, male merenti par erit—To a well-deserving man God will show favour, to an ill-deserving He will be simply just. Plaut.
Bene merentibus—To the well-deserving. M. 5
Bene nummatum decorat Suedela Venusque—The goddesses of persuasion and of love adorn the train of the well-moneyed man. Hor.
Bene orasse est bene studuisse—To have prayed well is to have striven well.
Bene qui latuit, bene vixit—Well has he lived who has lived well in obscurity. Ovid.
Benevolence is the distinguishing characteristic of man. Mencues.
Benigno numine—By the favour of Providence. 10 M.
Benignus etiam dandi causam cogitat—The benevolent man even weighs the grounds of his liberality. Pr.
Be no one like another, yet every one like the Highest; to this end let each one be perfect in himself. Goethe.
Be not angry that you cannot make others what you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself what you wish to be. Thomas à Kempis.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. St. Paul.
Be not righteous overmuch. Bible. 15
Be not the first by whom the new is tried, / Nor yet the last to lay the old aside. Pope.
Ben trovato—Well invented. It.
Be our joy three-parts pain! Strive, and hold cheap the strain; / Learn, nor account the pang; dare, never grudge the throe! Browning.
Berretta in mano non fece mai danno—Cap in hand never harmed any one. It. Pr.
Bescheiden freue dich des Ruhms, / So bist du 20 wert des Heiligthums—If thou modestly enjoy thy fame, thou art not unworthy to rank with the holy. Goethe.
Bescheidenheit ist eine Zier, / Doch weiter kommt man ohne ihr—Modesty is an ornament, yet people get on better without it. Ger. Pr.
Beseht die Gönner in der Nähe! Halb sind sie kalt, halb sind sie roh—Look closely at those who patronise you. Half are unfeeling, half untaught. Goethe.
Besiegt von einem, ist besiegt von allen—Overpowered by one is overpowered by all. Schiller.
Be silent, or say something better than silence. Sp. Pr.
Be slow in choosing a friend, but slower in 25 changing him. Sc. Pr.
Be sober, be vigilant. St. Peter.
Besser ein Flick als ein Loch—Better a patch than a hole. Ger. Pr.
Besser ein magrer Vergleich als ein fetter Prozess—Better is a lean agreement than a fat lawsuit. Ger. Pr.
Besser frei in der Fremde als Knecht daheim—Better free in a strange land than a slave at home. Ger. Pr.
Besser freundlich versagen als unwillig gewähren—Better 30 a friendly refusal than an unwilling consent (lit. pledge). Ger. Pr.
Besser Rat kommt über Nacht—Better counsel comes over-night. Lessing.
Besser was als gar nichts—Better something than nothing at all. Ger. Pr.
Besser zweimal fragen dann einmal irre gehn—Better ask twice than go wrong once. Ger. Pr.
Be still and have thy will. Tyndal.
Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire; / 35 Threaten the threatner, and outface the brow / Of bragging horror; so shall inferior eyes, / That borrow their behaviours from the great, / Grow great by your example, and put on / The dauntless spirit of resolution. King John, v. 1.
Best men are moulded out of faults. Meas. for Meas., v. 1.
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men. Bible.
Best time is present time. Pr.
Be substantially great in thyself, and more than thou appearest unto others. Sir Thomas Browne.
Be sure you can obey good laws before you 40 seek to alter bad ones. Ruskin.
Be sure your sin will find you out. Bible.
Be swift to hear, slow