Laudator Temporis Acti

Valerius Maximus, Memorable Doings and Sayings 7.2 ext. 1a (tr. D.R. Shackleton Bailey):

For indeed, O mind of mortals enveloped in deepest darkness, into how widespread a field of error do you scatter your blind prayers! You seek riches, that have destroyed many. You desire offices, that have brought to ruin not a few. You have visions of kingly powers, that are often seen to end in misery. You lay hold on brilliant marriages; but while they sometimes shed lustre on a house, at others they overthrow it utterly. So cease your foolish gaping after future causes of woe as though they were the luckiest of boons and trust yourself entirely to the will of the heavenly ones, for those who are wont to give blessings easily can also choose them most appropriately.

etenim densissimis tenebris involuta mortalium mens, in quam late patentem errorem caecas precationes tuas spargis! divitias appetis, quae multis exitio fuerunt; honores concupiscis, qui complures pessum dederunt; regna tecum ipsa volvis, quorum exitus saepenumero miserabiles cernuntur; splendidis coniugiis inicis manus: at haec ut aliquando illustrant, ita nonnumquam funditus domos evertunt. desine igitur stulta futuris malorum tuorum causis quasi felicissimis rebus inhiare, teque totam caelestium arbitrio permitte, quia qui tribuere bona ex facili solent, etiam eligere aptissime possunt.