Latin Quotes

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Contents

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A Pale Blue Dot - Carl Sagan
If - Rudyard Kipling
The Art of War - Sun Tzu

Quotes From Latin

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

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi - A precipice in front, wolves behind.

Ab ovo usque ad mala - From the egg right to the apple.
Horace

Abyssus abyssum invocat - Hell calls hell.

Acta est fabula - The drama has been acted out.
Augustus

Ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora - Eggs today are better than chickens tomorrow.

Adde parvum parvo magnus acervus erit - Add a little to a little and there will be a great heap.
Ovid

Adversus solem ne loquitor - Don't speak against the sun.

Aegrescit medendo - The disease worsens with treatment.
Virgil

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

Amor est vitae essentia - Love is the essence of life.
Robert B. Mackay

Amoto quaeramus seria ludo - Setting games aside, let's get on to serious matters.
Horace

An nescis, mi fili, quantilla sapientia mundus regatur? - Don't you know then, my son, how little wisdom rules the world.
Axel Oxenstierna

Animis opibusque parati - Prepared in minds and resources.

Asinus asinum fricat - Two people flattering each other

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

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

Audaces fortuna iuvat - Fortune favours the brave.

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam - I'll either find a way or make one.

Bella detesta matribus - Wars, the horror of mothers.
Horace

Beneficium accipere libertatem est vendere - To accept a favour is to sell one's freedom.
Publilius Syrus

Bona fide - In good faith, genuine, legitimate.

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

Carpe diem - Seize the moment.
Horace

Casis tutissima virtus - Virtue is the safest helmet.

Castigat ridendo mores - One corrects customs by laughing at them.

Cicatrix manet - The scar remains.

Cineri gloria sera est - Glory paid to ashes comes too late.
Martial

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

Cogito ergo doleo - I think therefore I am depressed.

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

Corruptisima re publica plurimae leges - In the most corrupt state are the most laws.
Terence

Credo nos in fluctu eodem esse - I think we're on the same wavelength.

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

Culpam poena premit comes - Punishment presses hard onto the heels of crime.
Horace

Cum bellum deficit, tum pax imminet - When the war process breaks down, peace will be imminent.
Robert B. Mackay

Damnant quod non intelligunt - They condemn what they do not understand.

De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum - Of two evils, the lesser is always to be chosen.

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

Deos enim religuos accepimus, Caesares dedimus - The gods were given to us, but we created the Caesars ourselves.

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

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

Dimidium facti qui coepit habet - He who has begun has the work half done.
Horace

Disce pati - Learn to endure

Divina natura dedit agros, ars humana aedificavit urbes - Divine nature gave the fields, human art built the cities.
Marcus Terentius Varro

Dum loquimor fugerit invida aetas - Even as we speak, time speeds swiftly away.
Horace

Errare humanum est - To err is human.

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

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

Facile est inventis addere - It is easy to add to things already invented.

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

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

Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit - Perhaps someday we will look back upon these things with joy.

Fortes fortuna adiuvat - Fortune favors the brave.
Terence

Gladiator in arena consilium capit - The gladiator is formulating his plan in the arena.
Seneca

Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi sed saepecadendo. - A drop of water makes a hole in a stone, not by force but by constant dripping.
Ovid

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

In imo animo stat pulchritudo - Beauty lies in the depths of ones soul.

In omnia paratus - Ready for anything.

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

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

Ipsa scientia potestas est - Knowledge itself is power.
Bacon

Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus - We are slaves of laws so that we can be free.
Cicero

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

Libenter homines id quod volunt credunt - Men gladly believe what they wish for.
Julius Caesar

Malum consilium quod mutari non potest - It's a bad plan that can't be changed.
Publilius Syrus

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

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

Mendacem memorem esse oportet - A liar needs a good memory.
Quintilian

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

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

Nil actum reputa si quid superest agendum - Don't consider that anything has been done if anything is left to be done.
Lucan

Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum - Don't let the bastards grind you down

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

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

Non omnes qui habemt citharam sunt citharoedi - Not all those who own a musical instrument are musicians.
Francis Bacon

Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae - There is no one great ability without a mixture of madness.
Seneca

Nullum saeculum magnis ingeniis clausum est - No generation is closed to great talents.
Seneca

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

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

Numquam aliud natura, aliud sapientia dicit - Never does nature say one thing and wisdom say another.

Numquam se minus solum quam cum solus esset - You are never so little alone as when you are alone.
Cicero

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

Omnia iam fient fieri quae posse negabam - All the things which I denied could happen are now happening.
Ovid

Omnia mea mecum porto - All that is mine, I carry with me; or my wisdom is my greatest wealt.
Cicero

Otium sine litteris mors est et hominis vivi sepultura - Rest without reading is like dying and being buried alive.
Seneca

Parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus - Mountains will be in labour, and an ridiculous mouse will be born.

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

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

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

Possunt quia posse videntur - They can because they seem to be able to.

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

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

Qespondeat superior - Let the superior answer.

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

Quam angusta innocentia est, at legem bonum esse - What a narrow innocence it is, to be good only according to the law.
Seneca

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

Qui dedit benificium taceat; narret qui accepit - Let him who has done a good deed be silent; let him who has received it tell it.
Seneca

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

Quid rides? Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur - Why are you laughing? Change the name and the story is about you.
Horace

Quidquid excusatio prandium pro - Any excuse for lunch.

Rerum Sapientia custos - Wisdom is the guardian of all things.

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

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

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

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

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

Sedit qui timuit ne non succederet - For fear of failure, he did nothing.
Horace

Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes - If you can read this, you're over educated.

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

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

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

Tarditas et procrastinatio odiosa est - Delay and procrastination is troublesome.
Cicero

Tibi gratias agimus quod nihil fumas - Thank you for not smoking.

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

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

Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito - Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all the more boldly against them.

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

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

Ventis secundis - Go with the flow.

Veritas odit moras - Truth hates delay.
Seneca

Vincit omnia veritas - Truth conquers all.

Vincit qui se vincit - She/he conquers who conquers her/himself.

Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit - A wise man does not urinate against the wind.

Vitam regit fortuna, non sapientia - Fortune, not wisdom, rules lives.
Cicero

Vitanda est improba siren desidia - One must avoid that wicked temptress, Laziness.
Horace

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