--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In adversity assume the countenance of…" description: "\"In adversity assume the countenance of prosperity, and in prosperity moderate the temper and desires.\" — Livy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/livy-3007_adversity_in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-p_989925.png" --- # In adversity assume the countenance of prosperity, and in… ![“In adversity assume the countenance of prosperity, and in prosperity moderate the temper and desires.” quote by Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/livy-3007_adversity_in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-p_989925.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/livy-3007_adversity_in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-p_989925.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/livy-3007_adversity_in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-p_989925.png) > “In adversity assume the countenance of prosperity, and in prosperity moderate the temper and desires.” [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In hardship, act as if prosperous; in wealth, temper desires and stay humble. **In simple terms:** Act wealthy in trouble, stay modest in success. Key Takeaway Balance behavior across circumstances. Themes adversity prosperity moderation humility Mood inspirational pragmatic Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - financial crises - career success - personal growth Key Concepts Stoic virtue self‑control social equilibrium Questions to Reflect On - How can one maintain humility during success? - What practices keep ambition in check? A Different Perspective Excessive confidence in hardship can be reckless; wealth can breed arrogance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [One has to work on the Polish economy, so that we start getting closer to real prosperity and not prosperity on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-duda/one-has-to-work-on-the-polish-economy-so-that-we-start-getting-closer/) [Andrzej Duda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-duda/) > [In a State, pecuniary gain is not to be considered to be prosperity, but its prosperity will be found in righteousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-a-state-pecuniary-gain-is-not-to-be-considered-to-be-prosperity/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Science is the engine of prosperity. All the prosperity we see around us is a byproduct of scientific inventions. And that's not being made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/science-is-the-engine-of-prosperity-all-the-prosperity-we-see-around/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [In an overly materialistic world, prosperity is unfortunately and invariably associated with hoards of money and countless possessions. Yet to the truly prosperous people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski/in-an-overly-materialistic-world-prosperity-is-unfortunately-and/) [Ernie J Zelinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-j-zelinski/) > [There is no way to prosperity, prosperity is the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/there-is-no-way-to-prosperity-prosperity-is-the-way/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Churches typically argue is that God wants God's people to have a good life, and that a good life involves prosperity. This prosperity is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-b-pinn/churches-typically-argue-is-that-god-wants-god-s-people-to-have-a/) [Anthony B Pinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-b-pinn/) > [“Money comes from prosperity. Prosperity is a feeling of having it all, being in the flow. This feeling attracts corresponding situations and opportunities. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron-gikandi/money-comes-from-prosperity-prosperity-is-a-feeling-of-having-it-all/) David Cameron Gikandi > [“Prosperity is not a promise, it’s a covenant. You don’t pray to get prosperity, you give to get it. Prosperity is not measured by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mcwilton-chikwenengere/prosperity-is-not-a-promise-it-s-a-covenant-you-don-t-pray-to-get/) McWilton Chikwenengere > [Such is the nature of crowds: either they are humble and servile or arrogant and dominating. They are incapable of making moderate use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/such-is-the-nature-of-crowds-either-they-are-humble-and-servile-or/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [And these two elements are at odds with one another because Freud is utterly adversary to almost all the ways of structuring the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/and-these-two-elements-are-at-odds-with-one-another-because-freud-is/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [Nothing to me is more distasteful than that entire complacency and satisfaction which beam in the countenances of a new married couple; in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/nothing-to-me-is-more-distasteful-than-that-entire-complacency-and/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [At this point in history when all things which concern man and the structure and elements of history itself are suddenly revealed to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-mannheim/at-this-point-in-history-when-all-things-which-concern-man-and-the/) [Karl Mannheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-mannheim/) > [Our communications reflect in our countenance. Therefore, we must be careful not only what we communicate, but also how we do so. Souls can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lionel-kendrick/our-communications-reflect-in-our-countenance-therefore-we-must-be/) [L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) ## More by Livy > [Present sufferings seem far greater to men than those they merely dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/present-sufferings-seem-far-greater-to-men-than-those-they-merely/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [The study of History is the best medicine for a sick mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/the-study-of-history-is-the-best-medicine-for-a-sick-mind/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [“Servius Sulpicius and M. Tullius were consuls the next year: nothing worth mentioning happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/servius-sulpicius-and-m-tullius-were-consuls-the-next-year-nothing/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [There is an old saying which, from its truth, has become proverbial, that friendships should be immortal, enmities mortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/there-is-an-old-saying-which-from-its-truth-has-become-proverbial/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [Many things complicated by nature are restored by reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/many-things-complicated-by-nature-are-restored-by-reason/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [Bad beginnings, bad endings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/bad-beginnings-bad-endings/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [“In ancient Greece more than one royal house was guilty of crime which became the stuff of tragedy: now Rome was to follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/in-ancient-greece-more-than-one-royal-house-was-guilty-of-crime-which/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [“It is your duty,' he said, 'to recover your country not by gold but by the sword. You will be fighting with all you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/it-is-your-duty-he-said-to-recover-your-country-not-by-gold-but-by/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [In difficult and desperate cases, the boldest counsels are the safest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/in-difficult-and-desperate-cases-the-boldest-counsels-are-the-safest/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [“There is never any lack at Athens of tongues ready and willing to stir up the passions of the common people; this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/there-is-never-any-lack-at-athens-of-tongues-ready-and-willing-to/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [ “\[Rhodian delegation:\] Every city contains wicked citizens from time to time and an ignorant populace all the time.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/rhodian-delegation-every-city-contains-wicked-citizens-from-time-to/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [Nowhere are our calculations more frequently upset than in war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/nowhere-are-our-calculations-more-frequently-upset-than-in-war/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [Dignity is a matter which concerns only mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/dignity-is-a-matter-which-concerns-only-mankind/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [“The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/the-study-of-history-is-the-best-medicine-for-a-sick-mind-for-in/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [No man likes to be surpassed by those of this own level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/no-man-likes-to-be-surpassed-by-those-of-this-own-level/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) [Explore all 142 Livy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) S.E. SEVER > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In adversity assume the countenance of prosperity, and in prosperity moderate the temper and desires.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Livy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-prosperity-and-in-prosperity/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-prosperity-and-in-prosperity/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/livy-3007_adversity_in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-p_989925.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/livy-3007_adversity_in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-p_989925.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/livy-3007_adversity_in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-p_989925.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In adversity assume the countenance of prosperity, and in prosperity moderate the temper and desires.” — Livy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Livy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In adversity assume the countenance of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-prosperity-and-in-prosperity/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/in-adversity-assume-the-countenance-of-prosperity-and-in-prosperity/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```