"The troubles which have come upon us always seem more serious than those which are only threatening"

This quote by Titus Livius talks to the human propensity to be more worried with the troubles that have currently come to pass than those that are just threatening. It suggests that when we are confronted with a tight spot, we tend to concentrate on the present and the immediate repercussions of the issue, instead of the prospective future repercussions. This can result in a sense of seriousness and panic, as we are more worried about the problems that have already occurred than those that are only threatening. This quote also talks to the value of being mindful of prospective future problems and taking actions to prevent them from taking place. By being aware of the prospective future repercussions of our existing actions, we can take actions to mitigate the effect of any future problems. This quote functions as a tip to be mindful of the possible future effects of our current actions and to take steps to prevent them from occurring.