# Quote — Tacitus, Annals

> For I deem it to be the chief function of history to rescue merit from oblivion, and to hold up before evil words and evil deeds the terror of the reprobation of posterity.

- Author: [Tacitus](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tacitus.md)
- Book: [Annals](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tacitus/annals.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Tacitus#Annals_(117)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md)
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/tacitus/annals/for-i-deem

## More from this book

> Great empires are not maintained by timidity.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tacitus/annals/great-empires-are.md)

> To every man posterity gives his due honour.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tacitus/annals/to-every-man.md)

> The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tacitus/annals/the-desire-for.md)