Lucretius Sea Quotations

Pleasant it is, when over a great sea the winds trouble the waters, to gaze from shore upon another's great tribulation; not because any man's troubles are a delectable joy, but because to perceive you are free of them yourself is pleasant.

Tis pleasant to stand on shore and watch others labouring in a stormy sea.

It is pleasurable, when winds disturb the waves of a great sea, to gaze out from land upon the great trials of another.

It is pleasant, when the sea is high and the winds are dashing the waves about, to watch from the shores the struggles of another.

If anyone decided to call the sea Neptune, and corn Ceres, and to misapply the name of Bacchus rather than to give liquor its right name, so be it; and let him dub the round world "Mother of the Gods" so long as he is careful not really to infest his mind with base superstitions.

When the supreme violence of a furious wind upon the sea sweeps over the waters the chief admiral of a fleet along with his mighty legions, does he not crave the gods' peace with vows and in his panic seek with prayers the peace of the winds and favouring breezes. Nonetheless, he is caught up in the furious hurricane and driven upon the shoals of death.

Never trust the calm sea when she shows her false alluring smile.

It is a pleasure for to sit at ease Upon the land, and safely for to see How other folks are tossed on the seas That with the blustering winds turmoiled be.

It is pleasant, when the sea runs high, to view from land the great distress of another.