FAMOUS LATIN QUOTATIONS
(Cited in Wheelock’s Workbook)

Oxford Tutorials/N. Lund



 1. Cōgitō ergō sum: I think, therefore I am.

       Descartes (1596-1650- French philosopher)

 2. Fortźs fortūna iuvat: Fortune helps the brave.

       Terence (c. 185- 159 BC- Roman comic dramatist)

 3. Dux fźmina factī: A woman (was) leader of the enterprise.

       Vergil (70-19 BC- greatest Roman poet)

      (factum, factī- deed, act, exploit, accomplishment)

 4. Perīculum in morā: (There is) danger in delay.

       Livy (59 BC- AD 17- Roman historian)

 5. Mźns sāna in corpore sānō: A healthy mind in a healthy body.

       Juvenal (1st-2nd C. AD- Roman satiric poet)

 6. Sīc semper tyrannīs: Thus always to tyrants. 

       State Motto of Virginia

 7. Amor magnus doctor est: Love is a powerful teacher.

       Augustine (354-430 AD- Doctor of the Church)

 8. Amor vincit omnia: Love conquers all.

       Vergil (70-19 BC- greatest Roman poet)

 9. Haec studia adulźscentiam alunt: These studies nourish the young.

       Cicero (106-46 BC- greatest Roman orator)

10. Vīve hodiź: Live today.

       Martial (AD c. 40- c. 104- Roman poet)

11. Nźmō sōlus satis sapit: No one by himself is sufficiently wise.

       Plautus (c. 254- 184 BC- Roman comic poet)

12. In principiō erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum.

       Gospel of John 1:1

13. Labor ipse voluptās: Work itself (is) a pleasure.

       Marcus Manilius (1st C. AD- Latin didactic poet)

14. Ars artium omnium cōnservātrīx: The art (that is) the preserver of all arts.

       Motto of Printers.

15. Vźra amīcitia est inter bonōs: There is true friendship among good men.

       Cicero (106-46 BC- greatest Roman orator)

16. Dulce et decōrum est prō patriā morī: It is a sweet and decorous thing

      to die for one's country.

        Horace (65- 8 BC- one of the greatest and most quoted Roman poets)

17. Fortūna caeca est: Fortune is blind.

        Cicero (106-46 BC- greatest Roman orator)

18. Genus est mortis male vīvere: It is a kind of death to live badly.

        Ovid (43 BC- AD 17- Roman poet)

19. Sed quis custōdiet ipsōs custōdźs: But who will guard the guards themselves?

        Juvenal (early 2nd C. AD- greatest Roman satirical poet)

20. SPQR, Senātus Populusque Rōmānus: The Senate and the People of Rome.

       Motto of the Roman Empire

21. Carmina morte carent: Poetry never dies. (Lit.: Songs/Poems are free from death.)

        Ovid (43 BC- AD 17- Roman poet)

 

 

 

 

22. Carpe diem: Seize the day!

         Horace (65- 8 BC- one of the greatest and most quoted Roman poets)

23. Quidquid bene dictum est ab ūllō, meum est: Whatever has been said well

       by anyone is mine.

         Seneca the Younger (c. 4 BC- AD 65- Roman author, philosopher, orator)

24. Pelle morās- brevis est magnī fortūna fāvōris: Banish delay- the fortune of high

       favor is fleeting.

         Silius Italicus (c. AD 26- c. 101- Roman poet)

25. Homō sum- hūmanī nil ā mź aliźnum putō: I am a human being- I consider

       nothing human to be alien to me.

        Terence (c. 185- 159 BC- Roman comic dramatist)

26. Brevis ipsa vīta est, sed malīs fit longior: Life itself is short, but it becomes

       longer with misfortunes.

        Publilius Syrus (1st C. BC- Roman author of moral maxims)

27. Omnia sōl temperat: The sun tempers all things.

       Carmina Baruna

28. Praestātur laus virtūtī, sed multō ocius [more quickly than; w/ablative] vernō

       gelū tabźscit: Praise is offered for virtue, but it disappears much more quickly

       than a frost in spring.

         Livius Andronicus (c. 284- 204 BC- Roman writer; translator of Homer)

29. Tanta potentia fōrmae est. So great is the power of beauty.

         Ovid (43 BC- AD 17- Roman poet)

30. Nunc est bibendum. Now we must drink.

         Horace (65- 8 BC- one of the greatest and most quoted Roman poets)

31. Aurea mediocritās: The golden mean.

        Horace (65- 8 BC- one of the greatest and most quoted Roman poets)

32. Citius, altius, fortius: Swifter, higher, stronger.

        Motto of the Modern Olympics

33. Rźgem nōn faciunt opźs: Riches do not make a king.

        Seneca the Younger (c. 4 BC- AD 65- Roman author, philosopher, orator)

34. Et mihi rźs, nōn mź rźbus, subiungere cōnor: And I try to subordinate life to

       myself, not myself to life.

       Horace (65- 8 BC- one of the greatest and most quoted Roman poets)

35. Virtūs praemium est optimum: Virtue is the best reward.

       Plautus (c. 254-184 BC- Roman comic poet)

36. Labōrāre est ōrāre: To work is to pray.

        Motto of Benedictine Monks

37. Exeat aulā quī vult esse pius- virtūs est summa potestās nōn coeunt: Let him

      depart from the imperial palace who wishes to be pius- virtue and supreme

      power do not go together.

       Lucan (AD 39-65- Roman poet; nephew of Seneca)

38. Fīnis corōnat opus: The end crowns the work.

       Ovid (43 BC- AD 17- Roman poet)

39. Omnia tempus habent... tempus nāscendī et tempus moriendī.  To

      everything there is a season... a time to be born and a time to die.

         Ecclesiastes 3:2

40. Haec studia adulźscentiam alunt, senectūtem oblectant: These studies nourish

       the young and delight our old age (about the study of literature).

         Cicero (106-46 BC- greatest Roman orator)