Augustus Key Quotes Flashcards
“I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble”
Seutonius, Augustus 28
“You, O Augustus, Father and Ruler of the world, are sent to Earth by Heaven’s decree”
Horace, Odes 3.6
Horace praises Augustus as a divinely chosen ruler whose leadership has restored peace and order
“The state had been transformed, and there was nothing left of the old, sound morality.”
Tacitus, Annals 1.9
Tacitus is more critical of Augustus, noting how his rise to power marked the the Roman Republic and the beginning of autocratic rule. This quote highlights the ambivalence some felt toward the changes Augustus brought to Roman governance. This reflects how Augustus was revered by poets and public figures, with some even attributing his reign to divine will.