If the Romans had been obliged to learn Latin, they would never have found time to conquer the world.

Summary

This quote suggests that if the Romans were burdened with the task of learning their own language, Latin, they would not have had the time or resources to conquer other nations and expand their empire. It implies that their achievements in conquest were only possible because they did not have to invest effort in learning their native tongue, allowing them to channel their energy into conquest instead. Hence, it highlights the irony that the language they spoke played a role in their successful conquest.