This is not the first anthology of this kind in Russia. What distinguishes it from the previous ones? First of all: its main source was not “ready-made” collections of quotes, but the works of the ancient authors themselves (as a rule, in authoritative Russian publications). This made it possible to very significantly expand the range of published thoughts and sayings. Almost all quotes are taken from prose works. The exact source of all sayings included in the book is given. And, finally, a detailed index allows you to find statements on a variety of topics - from “Hell” to “Iambic” “Thus, the reader receives a very representative anthology of the thought and eloquence of the ancients, and at the same time, an easy-to-use reference book. Konstantin Dushenko January 2003