That in his everyday conversation he used certain favorite and peculiar expressions appears from letters in his own hand, in which he says every now and then, when he wishes to indicate that certain men will never pay, that "they will pay on the Greek Kalends."

This quote from Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars highlights Augustus Caesar's knack for irony and wit. By saying "they will pay on the Greek Kalends," Augustus essentially meant "never," as the Greeks did not have a day equivalent to the Roman Kalends—the first day of the month in the Roman calendar. This clever expression underscores his disdain for pretentiousness and empty promises. Augustus used his sharp tongue not just for humor but as a tool to subtly critique those around him, from intellectual elites like Maecenas to political figures such as Mark Antony. It reveals Augustus' preference for clear and direct communication, shunning the overly elaborate and the archaic. Suetonius captures this aspect of Augustus’ character, painting a picture of an emperor who valued substance over style and clarity over convoluted rhetoric.