--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: O tempora! O mores! O what times (are…" description: "\"O tempora! O mores! O what times (are these)! what morals!\" — Marcus Tullius Cicero" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_amor_o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these_2260423.jpg" --- # O tempora! O mores! O what times (are these)! what morals! ![“O tempora! O mores! O what times (are these)! what morals!” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_amor_o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these_2260423.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_amor_o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these_2260423.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_amor_o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these_2260423.jpg) > “O tempora! O mores! O what times (are these)! what morals!” [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He laments the decline of moral standards in his era. **In simple terms:** He cries out about bad morals. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge moral decay. Themes morality society decay Mood reflective critical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - public morality - education reform Key Concepts ethical decline cultural criticism historical context Questions to Reflect On - What defines "good morals" today? - How can societies restore ethical standards? A Different Perspective Moral judgments can be subjective across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amor/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals/) [Mores Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mores-times-5198604/) [Tempora Mores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tempora-mores-5198603/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times/) [Times Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-morals-5198602/) ## Related quotes > [Morals today are corrupted by our worship of riches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/morals-today-are-corrupted-by-our-worship-of-riches/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [My morals went when the president got oral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/my-morals-went-when-the-president-got-oral/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [Art and morality are, with certain provisos…one. Their essence is the same. The essence of both of them is love. Love is the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/art-and-morality-are-with-certain-provisos-one-their-essence-is-the/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [It was always the view of my parents...that hot weather encouraged loose morals among young people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-was-always-the-view-of-my-parents-that-hot-weather-encouraged/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Jeg skal alltid handle slik at den regelen jeg handler etter kunne gjelde som allmenn lov.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/jeg-skal-alltid-handle-slik-at-den-regelen-jeg-handler-etter-kunne/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Nature consists of facts and of regularities, and is in itself neither moral nor immoral. It is we who impose our standards upon nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nature-consists-of-facts-and-of-regularities-and-is-in-itself-neither/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know who had the training of you," he continued doggedly, "but your morals are shocking. You spent a night in my bed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-chase/i-don-t-know-who-had-the-training-of-you-he-continued-doggedly-but/) [Loretta Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-chase/) > [This party spirit has so ill an effect on our morals, it has likewise a very great one upon our judgments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/this-party-spirit-has-so-ill-an-effect-on-our-morals-it-has-likewise/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I didn't grow up in one of those restrictive Christian households where you couldn't do this or that. We were brought up with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-adams/i-didn-t-grow-up-in-one-of-those-restrictive-christian-households/) [Yolanda Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-adams/) > [Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-carroll-of-carrollton/without-morals-a-republic-cannot-subsist-any-length-of-time-they/) [Charles Carroll of Carrollton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-carroll-of-carrollton/) > [Many men without morals have attacked religion because it was contrary to their inclinations. Many wise men have despised it because it seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/many-men-without-morals-have-attacked-religion-because-it-was/) [Baron d'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/) > [People have no morals, I swear to God. The things that people do for ratings! It's unforgivable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/people-have-no-morals-i-swear-to-god-the-things-that-people-do-for/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [I never knew a man who deserved to be thought well of for his morals who had a slight opinion of our Sex in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/i-never-knew-a-man-who-deserved-to-be-thought-well-of-for-his-morals/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) ## More by Marcus Tullius Cicero > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/gratitude-is-not-only-the-greatest-of-virtues-but-the-parent-of-all/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Things sacred should not only be touched with the hands, but unviolated in thought. \[Lat., Res sacros non modo manibus attingi, sed ne cogitatione…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/things-sacred-should-not-only-be-touched-with-the-hands-but/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Grief is not in the nature of things, but in opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/grief-is-not-in-the-nature-of-things-but-in-opinion/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Physicians, when the cause of disease is discovered, consider that the cure is discovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/physicians-when-the-cause-of-disease-is-discovered-consider-that-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum. (Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nihil-est-incertius-vulgo-nihil-obscurius-voluntate-hominum-nihil/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The foundations of justice are that on one shall suffer wrong; then, that the public good be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foundations-of-justice-are-that-on-one-shall-suffer-wrong-then/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-life-of-the-dead-is-set-in-the-memory-of-the-living/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Pardon is granted to necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/pardon-is-granted-to-necessity/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [History is the witness of the times, the light of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/history-is-the-witness-of-the-times-the-light-of-truth-the-life-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The Jews belong to a dark and repulsive force. One knows how numerous this clique is, how they stick together and what power they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-jews-belong-to-a-dark-and-repulsive-force-one-knows-how-numerous/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nature has planted in our minds an insatiable longing to see the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nature-has-planted-in-our-minds-an-insatiable-longing-to-see-the-truth/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Explore all 1,068 Marcus Tullius Cicero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More Amor quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“Eu nu am idei ci obsesii. Idei poate avea oricine. Nimeni nu s-a prăbușit din cauza ideilor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/eu-nu-am-idei-ci-obsesii-idei-poate-avea-oricine-nimeni-nu-s-a-pr-bu/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [Est�s anclado... anclado en mi coraz�n.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anahi/est-s-anclado-anclado-en-mi-coraz-n/) [Anahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anahi/) > [“Muchos de los ángeles de Dios no tienen alas...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/muchos-de-los-ngeles-de-dios-no-tienen-alas/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Prefiero tocar canciones que divierten a mis amigos que complacer a quienes me juzgan basándose solo en habladurías" - Kvothe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/prefiero-tocar-canciones-que-divierten-a-mis-amigos-que-complacer-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“-¿Sucede algo, Elegida?... -¿Cuántas veces tengo que pedirte que no me llames así? Me sonrió:-Una vez más.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-gonz-lez-m-rquez/sucede-algo-elegida-cu-ntas-veces-tengo-que-pedirte-que-no-me-llames/) [Adriana González Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-gonz-lez-m-rquez/) > [“E queria estar a treze mil quilómetros dali, a vigiar o sono da minha filha nos panos do seu berço, queria não ter nascido…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-nio-lobo-antunes/e-queria-estar-a-treze-mil-quil-metros-dali-a-vigiar-o-sono-da-minha/) [António Lobo Antunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-nio-lobo-antunes/) > [“Ao te ler eu me atualizo, com um beijo me informo da tua situação tão precária quanto a minha.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filipe-russo/ao-te-ler-eu-me-atualizo-com-um-beijo-me-informo-da-tua-situa-o-t-o/) [Filipe Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filipe-russo/) > [“Y vuelvo a enamorarme de quién no debo. Y vuelvo a tener esperanza. Y vuelvo a creer en Dios. Y vuelvo a pensar todas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-porcupine/y-vuelvo-a-enamorarme-de-qui-n-no-debo-y-vuelvo-a-tener-esperanza-y/) [J. Porcupine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-porcupine/) > [“A mí todo aquello me era insoportable, pues no estoy hecho de la madera de los que aguantan a los tontos con absoluta resignación.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-lobsang-rampa/a-m-todo-aquello-me-era-insoportable-pues-no-estoy-hecho-de-la-madera/) [T. Lobsang Rampa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-lobsang-rampa/) > [“E a minha conclusão, na medida em que eu mantinha boas relações com a Anne, é que a maioria dos pais não conhece de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/e-a-minha-conclusao-na-medida-em-que-eu-mantinha-boas-relacoes-com-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Non poteva più vivere senza sapere e, soprattutto, non poteva morire senza sapere, in un'epoca in cui i ragazzi come lui erano chiamati più…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/non-poteva-pi-vivere-senza-sapere-e-soprattutto-non-poteva-morire/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Cuando la Universidad de Belgrano me propuso dar cinco clases, elegí temas con los cuales me había consustanciado él tiempo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cuando-la-universidad-de-belgrano-me-propuso-dar-cinco-clases-elegi/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Paucis natura contenta est”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/paucis-natura-contenta-est/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“NUNCA DIGAS, NUNCA JAMAS.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/popular-woodworking/nunca-digas-nunca-jamas/) [Popular Woodworking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/popular-woodworking/) [Browse all 9,622 Amor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "O tempora! O mores! O what times (are these)! what morals!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Tullius Cicero" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these-what-morals/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these-what-morals/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_amor_o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these_2260423.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_amor_o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these_2260423.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_amor_o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these_2260423.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“O tempora! O mores! O what times (are these)! what morals!” — Marcus Tullius Cicero", "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": "Marcus Tullius Cicero", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "O tempora! O mores! O what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these-what-morals/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/o-tempora-o-mores-o-what-times-are-these-what-morals/#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 } } ] } ```