De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, Book V
Cicero
Cicero's observation comes amid great political upheaval, as Rome teetered on the brink of dictatorship. In such tumultuous times, the counsel to attend to the modest beginnings of things is almost radical. The tiny spark of a decision—like Cicero’s own choice between Pompey and Caesar—can ignite sweeping change. Cicero’s times demanded careful balance between immediate survival and long-term consequence, a balance that modern politics still struggles with.