Skip to content

Begin Quote by Horace

“He who would begun has half done. Dare to be wise; begin.” quote by Horace — Download Open image

“He who would begun has half done. Dare to be wise; begin.”

About This Quote

Source Poem: Odes, Book I, 23

Starting a task is half the work; wisdom lies in beginning.

In simple terms: Beginning is half the battle.

Key Takeaway

Take the first step.

Themes

motivation wisdom action

Mood

encouraging practical

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

personal projects
learning new skills
entrepreneurship

Key Concepts

initiative self‑discipline goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

What small step can you take today?
How does starting reduce anxiety?

A Different Perspective

Fear of failure can stall the start.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 3.9 out of 5 (6 ratings)

Begin Begun Begun Half Dare Dare Wise Done Half Who Wise Wise Begin

More by Horace

Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…

Image

“Finxerunt animi, raro et perpauca loquentis. (To action little, less to words inclinded.)”

Image

No verse can give pleasure for long, nor last, that is written by drinkers of water.

Image

Fate with impartial hand turns out the doom of high and low; her capacious urn is constantly shaking the names of all mankind.

Image

A word, once sent abroad, flies irrevocably.

Image

“Natales grate numeras? (Do you count your birthdays with gratitude?)”

Image

In a moment comes either death or joyful victory. [Lat., Horae Momento cita mors venit aut victoria laeta.]

Image

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - It is a sweet and becoming thing to die for ones country.

Image

Neither men, nor gods, nor booksellers' shelves permit ordinary poets to exist. [Lat., Mediocribus esse poetis Non homines, non di, non concessere columnae.]

Image

Don't yield to that alluring witch, laziness, or else be prepared to surrender all that you have won in your better moments.

Image

Avoid inquisitive persons, for they are sure to be gossips, their ears are open to hear, but they will not keep what is entrusted…

Image

“You may drive out Nature with a pitchfork, yet she still will hurry back.”

Image

Explore all 1,000 Horace quotes

More Begin quotes

If you wanted to put the world to rights, who should you begin with: yourself or others?

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Image

“Let the motherfucking games begin.”

Image

“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

Image

The world will only begin to have faith in you when you do too.

Image

The idea with a collection is sort of to begin with a kind of bang.

Robert Christgau

Image

“Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you high. People who are gentle, humble and able always have a great ending no…

israelmore ayivor

Image

Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Image

“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”

Israelmore Ayivor

Image

I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you…

Image

The public should begin to understand that there's nothing that comes out of this campaign, or this Obama White House, that they can believe.…

Image

“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.”

Image

I look forward to the day that a lot of the folks that you all talk about and cover on this network will begin…

Image

Browse all 503 Begin quotes