God, that all-powerful Creator of nature and architect of the world, has impressed man with no character so proper to distinguish him from other animals, as by the faculty of speech.

Of his personal life little is known. Life
Quintilian was born ca. The emperor does not appear to have taken offence; in the year 90 Quintilian was made tutor of Domitian's two grand-nephews and heirs.

In English translation he is usually referred to as Quintilian although the alternate spellings of Quintillian and Quinctilian are occasionally seen the latter in older texts. 35 – c.