Titus Livius ~59 BC - AD 17, wrote in his Ab Urbe Condita ("From the Founding of the City" i.e History of Rome) Book 4 chapter 2 "Potiusque sero quam nunquam" which might be the base of the phrase and used also as "Potius sero quam numquam"

See http://www.splash.it/cultura/latino/livio/ab_urbe_condita/04/index.htm

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