Roman voices speak in a tempered register: terse, iron-boned, attentive to duty and the shifting weather of power. Their maxims weigh labor against leisure, glory against ruin, law against desire. They praise virtus and pietas, mistrust excess, and keep a wary eye on destiny’s ledger. Time is short, character is long, and the commonwealth outlives the self. Dry wit, soldier’s clarity, and a jurist’s balance meet in sayings forged for campaigns, courts, and forums, where honor is tested and speech must carry its own proof.
"The number of guests at dinner should not be less than the number of the Graces nor exceed that of the Muses, i.e., it should begin with three and stop at nine"
