Jeff’s Latin Quote Page
On this page are many quotes that I have collected in my small amount
of time dealing with Latin.

Ipsa scientia potestas est.
Knowledge itself is power.
-Bacon

Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed saepe cadendo.
Dripping hollows out rock, not with force but by falling often.
-Ovid

In virtute sunt multi ascensus.
In excellence there are many degrees.
-Cicero

Salus populi suprema lex.
The safety of the people is the highest law.
-Cicero

Aspirat primo Fortuna labori.
Fortune smiles upon our first effort.
-Virgil

Ab ovo usque ad mala.
From the egg right to the fruits. (From soup to nuts.)
-Horace

Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit.
There has not been any great talent without an element of madness.
-Seneca

Excitabat fluctus in simpulo.
He was stirring up billows in a ladle.(He was raising a tempest in a teapot.)
-Cicero

Nullum saeculum magnis ingeniis clausum est.
To great talents no era is closed.
-Seneca

Saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas.
Often the prickly thorn produces tender roses.
-Ovid

Medici graviores morbos asperis remediis curant.
Doctors cure the more serious diseases with harsh remedies.
-Curtius Rufus

Num barbarorum Romulus rex fuit?
Romulus was not a king of barbarians, was he?
-Cicero

Divina natura dedit agros, ars humana aedificavit urbes.
The divine nature produced the fields, human skill has built cities.
-Tibullus

Colossus magnitudinem suam servabit etiam si steterit in puteo.
A giant will keep his size even though he will have stood in a well.
-Seneca

Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit.
 He who is not prepared today will be less so tomorrow.
-Ovid

Ora et labora.
Pray and labor.
-St.Benedict

Otium sine litteris mors est et hominis vivi sepultra.
Leisure without literature is death, or rather the burial of a living man.
-Seneca

Materiam superabat opus.
The workmanship was better than the subject matter.
-Ovid

O praeclarum custodem ovium lupum!
An excellent protector of sheep, the wolf!
-Cicero

Tarditas et procrastinatio odiosa est.
Delay--putting things off until tomorrow--is hateful.
-Cicero

Quos amor verus tenuit, tenebit.
Those whom true love has held, it will go on holding.
-Seneca

Patria est communis omnium parens.
Our native land is the common parent of us all.
-Cicero

Amor tussisque non celantur.
Love, and a cough, are not concealed.
-Ovid

A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper.
A boar is often held by a not-so-large dog.
-Ovid

Non est ad astra mollis e terris via.
There is no easy way from the earth to the stars.
-Seneca

Etiam capillus unus habet umbram.
Even one hair has a shadow.
-Publilius Syrus

Culpam poena premit comes.
Punishment closely follows crime as its companion.
-Horace

Trahimur omnes laudis studio.
We are all led by our eagerness for praise.
-Cicero

Gladiator in arena consilium capit.
The gladiator is making his plan in the arena(i.e., too late).
-Seneca

Rident stolidi verba Latina.
Fools laugh at the Latin language.
-Ovid

Inhumanitas omni aetate molesta est.
Inhumanity is harmful in every age.
-Cicero

Vos vestros servate, meos mihi linquite mores.
You cling to your own ways and leave mine to me.
-Petrarch

Non omnes qui habent citharam sunt citharoedi.
Not all those who own a musical instrument are musicians.
-Varro

Quid rides?...De te fabula narratur.
What are you laughing at? The joke's on you.
-Horace

Ut sementem feceris ita metes.
As you sow so will you reap.
-Cicero

Dente lupus, cornu taurus petit.
The wolf attacks with his fang, the bull with his horn.
-Horace

Non est ars quae ad effectum casu venit.
That which achieves its effect by accident is not art.
-Seneca

Fallaces sunt rerum species.
The appearances of things are deceptive.
-Seneca

Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes.
It is foolish to fear that which you cannot avoid.
-Publilius Syrus

Per varios usus artem experientia fecit.
Through different exercises practice has brought skill.
-Manilius

Risu inepto res ineptior nulla est.
There is nothing more foolish than a foolish laugh.
-Catullus

Facilius per partes in cognitionem totius adducimur.
We are more easily led part by part to an understanding of the whole.
-Seneca

Qui dedit beneficium taceat; narret qui accepit.
Let him who has given a favor be silent; let him who has received it tell it.
-Seneca

Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus.
We are slaves of the laws in order that we may be able to be free.
-Cicero

Assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit.
Constant practice devoted to one subject often outdoes both intelligence and skill.
-Cicero

Exigo a me non ut optimis par sim, sed ut malis melior.
I require myself not to be equal to the best, but to be better than the bad.
-Seneca

Sedit qui timuit ne non succederet.
He who feared he would not succeed sat still. (For fear of failure, he did nothing.)
-Horace

Saepe ne utile quidem est scire quid futurum sit.
Often it is not even advantageous to know what will be.
-Cicero

Nullus est liber tam malus ut non aliqua parte prosit.
There is no book so bad that it is not profitable on some part.
-Pliny the Younger

Difficile est tenere quae acceperis nisi exerceas.
It is difficult to retain what you may have learned unless you should practice it.
-Pliny the Younger

Struit insidias lacrimis cum femina plorat.
When a woman weeps, she is setting traps with her tears.
-Dionysius Cato

Praeceptores suos adulescens veneratur et suspicit.
A young man respects and looks up to his teachers.
-Seneca

Amoto quaeramus seria ludo.
Joking aside, let us turn to serious matters.
-Horace

Potest ex casa magnus vir exire.
A great man can come from a cabin.
-Seneca

Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim.
Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.
-Ovid

Libenter homines id quod volunt credunt.
Men gladly believe that which they wish for.
-Caesar

Cito fit quod dii volunt.
What the gods want happens soon.
-Petronius

Omnia iam fient fieri quae posse negabam.
Everything which I used to say could not happen will happen now.
-Ovid

Mendacem oportet esse memorem.
A liar must be good at remembering.
-Quintilian

Leve fit, quod bene fertur, onus.
The burden which is borne well becomes light.
-Ovid

Mus uni non fidit antro.
A mouse does not rely on just one hole.
-Plautus

Quaedam iura non scripta sed omnibus scriptis certiora sunt.
Some laws are unwritten but they are better established than all written ones.
-Seneca Rhetor

Vitanda est improba siren desidia.
One must steer clear of the wicked temptress, Laziness.
-Horace

Timendi causa est nescire.
Ignorance is the cause of fear.
-Seneca

Aliquando et insanire iucundum est.
It is sometimes pleasant even to act like a madman.
-Seneca

Credula vitam spes fovet et melius cras fore semper dicit.
Credulous hope supports our life, and always says that tomorrow will be better.
-Tibullus

In alio pediculum, in te ricinum non vides.
You see a louse on someone else, but not a tick on yourself.
-Petronius

Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus interpres.
As a true translator you will take care not to translate word for word.
-Horace

Quam se ipse amans sine rivali!
Himself loving himself so much without a rival!
-Cicero

Simia quam similis, turpissima bestia, nobis!
How like us is that very ugly beast the monkey!
-Cicero 

Bonitas non est pessimis esse meliorem.
It is not goodness to be better than the worst.
-Seneca

 Canis timidus vehementius latrat quam mordet.
A timid dog barks more violently than it bites.
-Curtius Rufus

Diligentia maximum etiam mediocris ingeni subsidium.
Diligence is a very great help even to a mediocre intelligence.
-Seneca

Clementia tua multas vitas conservat.
-Cicero

Salve, o patria!
-Plautus

Fama volat
-Vergilius
(from Lidia in Poland)

Ab alio expectes alteri quod feceris.
Expect (the same treatment from another) that you give to you neighbor.
-Publilius Syrus 2

Abite, molesti!
Go away, pests!
-Unknown

ad Kalendas Graecas
until the Greek Kalends (means it will never happen; there were no Kalends in the Greek calendar)
-Unknown

Adulescens sperat se diu victurum esse; senex potest dicere se diu vixisse.
A young man hopes that he will live a long time; an old man is able to say that he has lived a long time.
-Cicero, On Old Age XIX.68

Adversus incendia excubias nocturnas vigilesque commentus est.
Against the dangers of fires, Augustus conceived of the idea of night guards and watchmen.
-Suetonius, Life of Augustus 30

Alea iacta est.
The die has been cast.
-Suetonius, Caesar 32

ALTIUS, CITIUS, FORTIUS
Higher, faster, stronger
-Motto of the olympic games

Avarus animus nullo satiatur lucro.
A greedy mind is satisfied with no (amount of) gain.
-Publilius Syrus 55

Caelum, non animum, mutant, qui trans mare currunt.
Those who run off across the sea change their climate but not their mind.
-Horace, Epistles I.II.27

Canis timidus vehementius latrat quam mordet.
A timid dog barks more fiercely than he bites.
-Q. Curtis Rufus, Exploits of Alexander VII.4.13

Da mihi multa basia.
Give me many kisses.
-Catulus

Debemus iram vitare.
We must shun anger.
-Seneca

Decerno quinquaginta dierum supplicationis.
I move for 50 days of thanksgiving
-Phil. xiv.II

Diem dulcem habe
Have a nice day
-Unknown

Dimidium donare Lino quam credere totum qui mavult, mavult derdere dimidium.
Whoever prefers to give linus half rather than trust him with the whole, prefers to lose the half.
-Martial, Epigrams I.75

Ego instabam ut mihi responderet.
I kept urging him to answer.
-Verr.ii.77

Ego vos hortor ut amicitiam omnibus rebus humanis anteponatis.
I urge you to set a friendship before all other human affairs.
-Cicero, On Friendship V.17

Est vir vino abstinentissimus!
He is a man most absinent from wine!
-Unknown

Exegi monumentum aere perennius.
I have erected a monument more lasting than bronze.
-Horace, Odes III.30.1

Fama nihil est celerius.
Nothing is swifter than rumor.
-Vergil, Aeneid IV.174

Feliciter!
Good luck!
-Unknown

Festina lente.
Make haste slowly.
-Augustus Caesar

Fit in dies molestior.
He becomes more troublesome every day.
-Unknown

Flamma fumo est proxima.
Flame follows smoke.
-Plautus, Curculio I.i.53

Forsan miseros meliora sequentur.
For those in misery perhaps better things will follow.
-Vergil, Aeneid XII.153

Forti et fideli nihil est difficile.
Nothing is difficult for a brave and trustworthy man.
-Unknown

Gladiator in arena consilium capit.
The gladiator adopts a plan in the arena.
-Seneca, Epistulae Morales XXII

Heus! Ecquis camelum mieum videt
Hey! Anybody seen my camel
-Unknown

Homines id quod volunt credunt.
Men believe what they want to.
-Julius Caesar

Illud iterum dicere potes!
You can say that again!
-Unknown

Infinitus est numerous stultorum.
Infinite is the number of foolish people.
-Ecclesiastes

Ius et furi dicitur.
Justice is granted even to the thief.
-Seneca, On Benefits IV.28

lapsus calami / lapsus linguae
a slip of the pen / a slip of the tongue
-Unknown

Laudatur ab his, culpatu ab illis.
He’s praised by these and blamed by those.
-Horace

Malum est consilium quod mutari non postest.
It’s a bad plan that can’t be changed.
-Publilius Syrus 403

Mantua me genuit, Calabri rapuere, tenet nunc Parthenope: cecini pascua, rura, duces.
Mantua gave me life, Calabria took it away, now Naples holds me: I sang of pastures, fields, and heroes.
-Inscribed on Vergil’s tomb

Manus manum lavat.
One hand washes the other. (non-literal: One good turn deserves another.)
-Unknown

Mea mihi conscientia pluris est quam omnium sermo.
My conscience is more to me than what the world says.
-Cicero, Letters to Atticus XII.28.2

Modum tenere debemus.
We must observe moderation.
-Seneca

more suo
in one’s own way
-Unknown

Moribus antiquis res stat Romana virisque
On customs and men of olden times the Roman state stands firm.
-Ennius

mos maiorum
the custom of the ancestors
-Unknown

mos pro lege
A long established custom has the force of law.
-Unknown

Multi famam, conscientiam pauci verentur.
Many fear their reputation, few their conscience.
-Pliny, Letters III.20

Non est locus istis homininbus in hac terra.
There is no place for these men on this earth.
-Martial

Non te peto, piscem peto. Quid me fugis, Galle
It is not you I am aiming at, but the fish. Why do you flee from me, Gallus
-Quoted by Festus, 285M, 358L

nuces relinquere
to leave childhood behind
-Persius, Satires I.10

nullo more
without precedent, unparalleled
-Unknown

O tempora! O mores!
How times and customs have changed!
-Cicero, Orations against Catiline I.2

Odi et amo.
I love and hate.
-Catullus LXXXV

Omnia Romae cum pretio.
Everything is available in Rome—for a price!
-Juvenal, Satires III.183-184

Optimum est pati quod emendare non possis.
It is best to endure what you cannot change.
-Seneca, Maral Epistles CVII.9

Pauci viri sapientiam student.
Few men seek wisdom.
-Cicero

Philosophia est ars vitae.
Philosophy is the art of life.
-Cicero

Qui vult dare parva non debet magna rogare.
He who wishes to give little shouldn’t ask for much.
-Unknown

Quid est tam incertum quam talorum iactus
What is so uncertain as a cast of dice
-Cicero, De divinatione II.121

Quid est turpius quam ab aliquo illudi
What is more shameful than to be deceived by someone
-Cicero

quid pro quo
something for something
-Unknown

Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes.
Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even bearing gifts.
-Vergil, Aeneid II.49

Quis creabitus arbiter bibendi
Who will be made master of the drinking
-Unknown

Quisquis amat, valeat; pereat qui nescit amare!
Bis tanto pereat, quisquis amare vetat!
Whoever’s in love, may he succeed; whoever’s not, may he perish!
Twice may he perish, whoever forbids me to love!
-Unknown

Res ipsa loquitur.
The facts speak for themselves.
-Unknown

Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat
What prevents me from speaking the truth wigh a smile
-Horace, Satires I.I.24-25

Scribe quam saepissime.
Write as often as possible.
-Unknown

Semper avarus eget.
The greedy one is always needy.
-Horace

Siqua voles apte nubere, nube pari.
If you wish a suitable marriage, marry an equal.
-Ovid, Heroides IX.32

Socrates totius mundi se incolam et civem arbitrabatur.
Socrates thought himself an inhabitant and a citizen of the whole world.
-Cicero, Tusculan Disputations 5.108

Trahimur omnes studio laudis.
We are all attracted by the desire for praise.
-Cicero, Pro Archia poeta XI.26

Ubi fumus, ibi ignis.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
-Unknown

Venienti occurrite morbo!
Meet the malady as it comes!
-Persius, Satires III.64

Videamus uter plus scribere possit.
Let us see who can write more.
-Horace

Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur.
It is a wise man who speaks little.
-Unknown