Latin Words, Phrases, Expressions Proverbs and Mottos
There are many Latin words or phrases like: “Cogito ergo sum”, “Alea jacta est”, “Carpe diem”… You probably still know them and pronounce them. Many Latin mottos, expressions and proverbs are present in the French language today. Some of them have marked history, others are timeless. Discover the essentials.
A – Latin Words
Ad hominem
To the man (human).
Argument ad hominem
By which one attacks the adversary directly in his person by opposing his own words or his own actions.
Alea jacta is
“The die is cast. »
Suetonius, a Latin historian, attributes these words to Emperor Julius Caesar as he prepared to cross the Rubicon. In a context of the Gallic Wars, this river was the symbol of demarcation between Italy and Cisalpine Gaul, a province under the authority of Julius Caesar. By crossing the Rubicon to reach the enemy, he then took the risk of being considered a traitor before his people and cursed by the gods.
Alea jacta est takes on its full meaning since the word alea designates a dice or a game of dice to be thrown, combining both the risky feeling and the challenge of the emperor in the face of such an initiative. Today, this Latin expression can still be used to describe a decisive decision that often involves circumventing the law.
Ab aeterno or Ab aeternum
- literally means “from eternity.” It is really used to indicate that something has existed for a long time or from time immemorial or may continue for a long time or forever. [2]
A posteriori
- From what comes after, it is said of the argumentation that is made with a previous experience.
A priori
- From what comes before, it is said of the argumentation that is made without previous experience.
Ab illo tempore
- Since that time.
Ab imo pectore
- With all my heart.
ab initio
- From the beginning.
ab iIntestate
- Legal situation that occurs when someone dies without having made a will.
Ab ovo
- From the egg, more specifically “from the beginning”, an expression taken from a poem by Horace where he talks about Homer who in the Iliad recounts the Trojan War , not from the egg from which it came to be born Helena, but in media res, that is to say in the middle of the matter (vid.).
Ab uno discent omnes
- They all learn from one, refers to the function of generalizing the wisdom that teaching has.
Ab urbe condita
- From the foundation of the city, title with which the history of Rome is known by the Roman historian Titus Livy , which went from the time of Romulus, founder of the city, to the 1st century BC.
Accessit
- Literally “he has approached”, third person of the past tense of the verb accedere , it is said of the prize that is given in a contest to that opponent who has shown merit to be awarded, but not enough to deserve the first award. The word has been Catalanized and then takes on the accesit accent and is no longer considered a Latin locution
(Reductio) ad absurdum
- Reduction to the absurd, is said of the argument that proves the falsity of another based on its negation.
Ad hoc
- (Express) for this.
Ad hominem
- Against the man, it is said of the argumentation that tries to refute another one by going against the person who defends it, and not against the very idea of the argumentation.
Ad (or in) infinitum
- Until infinity, forever.
Ad kalendas graecas
- It literally means “in the Greek calends”, the calends were the name given to the first day of each month of the Roman calendar, but not in Greek, so the expression has a similar meaning to saying in Catalan the thirty of February. Suetonius (II.87) attributes it to Augustus. Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (70 – 126), was a Latin writer of the imperial era, fundamental exponent of the biographical genre.
Ad libitum
- At pleasure, to everyone’s taste. The author of a work foresees that the performer acts freely in a given passage.
Ad triarios redisse
- Getting to the Triaris.
The Triaris were the veteran soldiers of the republican army before Gai Mari ‘s reforms . Their task was to act if the first two lines of the deployment collapsed. In most battles they did not enter combat, since the rest of the infantry troops generally defeated the enemy troops. Even if they could not win, the triarii offered a strong resistance that allowed the rest of the army to regroup or to withdraw orderly without suffering much damage. It is said when something goes wrong and the last energies or reserves are needed.
Addendum
- Literally “what must be added”, a set of additional notes that are put at the end of a piece of writing, which complement it.
Adeste fideles
- Come, faithful, title and first words of an anonymous liturgical hymn that is sung on Christmas Day.
Agenda
- What needs to be done, notebook where you write down the commitments you have every day.
Alea iacta est
- “The die is cast”, phrase said by Julius Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon River (49 BC) and thus started the second Roman civil war.
Alias
- In another way, it is said of the word with which a person is known.
Alma mater
- Literally “nursing mother”, abbreviation of the name Alma Mater Studiorum (“Nursing Mother of Students”), which was the original name of the University of Bologna (the oldest in the world), used today to refer to the university center where one has studied.
Alter ego
- “Other self”, is said of the person with whom one shares many affinities.
Altius, citius, fortius
- Higher, faster, stronger, official motto of the international Olympic movement .
Amor vincit omnia
- Love conquers all, phrase taken from the Bucolics (X.69) by Virgil .
Anno Domini
- “In the year of the Lord”, equivalent to “after Christ“.
Ante meridiem (am)
- Before noon.
Argumentum ex auctoritate
- “Argument by authority”, in rhetoric and in legal discussions when the person is right, by the office of his authority or his function, as ex auctoritate imperatoris (by authority of the emperor) without having any obligation to give arguments or ex auctoritate legis (the law is the law).
Ars longa, vita brevis
- Art is long, life is short, Seneca ‘s translation of a Hippocratic aphorism which means that human knowledge is too numerous to be learned by a single man in life.
Audaces fortuna iuvat
- Fortune helps the bold.
Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant
- Hail Caesar, those who must die salute you, traditional greeting that gladiators exclaimed before starting a fight in the Colosseum in Rome.
Aurea mediocritas
- The golden moderation, literary cliché taken from an ode by Horace in which the moderate life is praised, halfway between poverty and wealth, and free from the problems that both entail.
Aurora music amica est
Dawn is a friend of the muses, Muse is a kind of patron goddess of the arts, from which the word music is taken.
Aurora australis
Southern dawn. Southern Lights, the aurora that appears in the Southern Hemisphere. It is less well known than the Northern Lights (aurorea borealis). Aurora Australis is also the name of the Antarctic icebreaker.
Aurora borealis
Northern dawn. Northern Lights, the aurora that appears in the Northern Hemisphere.
Ave Maria
B
Barba crescit caput nescit
The beard grows, but the head does not grow wiser.
Beatae memoriae
Beautiful memories (from a blessed memory).
Beati hispani, quibus vivere bibere est
Lucky Spaniards, for them life is drinking. A mockery for the Spanish accent that spells the letter v as b, so that the Latin word vivere (to live) sounds bibere (to drink).
Beati pauperes spiritu
Blessed are those who are humble. This sentence is taken from the Holy Bible New Testament Gospel of Matthew 3:5. better known as the Sermon on the Mount.
Beatus, qui prodest, quibus potest
Happy is he who benefits from those he can influence.
Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Happy is he who finds wisdom.
Bene diagnostics, bene curatur
Something that is diagnosed well, can be treated well too.
Bene qui latuit bene vixit
He who does not attract the attention of others, lives comfortably.
Bis dat, qui cito dat
Whoever can give quickly, he gives double. Excerpted from the words of Publius Syrus.
Bis repetita non placent
Repeating twice is no fun.
Bona diagnosis, bonus curatio
A good diagnosis is a good medicine.
Bona fide
With good intentions and can be trusted. In good faith In other words, “well-meaning”, “fair”. In modern contexts, it often has a “sincere” connotation. Bona fides is not plural (which would be bonis fidebus), but nominative, and simply means “good faith”. The opposite of mala fide.
Bona notabilia
Legally worthy items. If a dying person owns goods, or good debts, in the diocese or other jurisdiction in that province, other than his property in the diocese where he died, which amount to a certain minimum value, he is said to have possessed bona notabilia; in this case, the will of his will belongs to the archbishop of that province.
Bona valetudo melior est quam maximae divitiae
A healthy body condition is more valuable than abundant wealth.
Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere
It is the duty of a good shepherd to shear his sheep, not skin them. Excerpt from the work of Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum – Vita Tiberi:32. In this book it is told that Emperor Tiberius advised his subordinates not to collect excessive taxes from their subjects.
Bonum commune communitatis
Good for the community.
Bona opinio hominum tutior pecunia est
The esteem of men is a surer treasure than wealth.
The good opinion of men is a surer good than money.
Beatus ille
Happy that one, literary cliché taken from Horace’s Epodes in which the virtues of living and working in the countryside are praised, opposed to the hustle and bustle of urban life.
Bis
Twice or for the second time, it is said of the repetition of a musical theme in a concert or of the numbers of the portals of the houses when they have to occupy the space previously occupied by a single building
Bonus pater familias
A concept of Roman law, good family man
C – Latin Words
Cacatum non est pictum
Poop is not paint.
From Gottfried August Bürger’s Prinzessin Europa (line 60); popularised by Heinrich Heine’s Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen (XI, 44); also the title of Joseph Haydn’s canon for four voices, Hob. XXVIIb:16; Ludwig van Beethoven set the text by Bürger as a three-voice canon, WoO 224. Contemporary critics applied this epithet to both of Turner’s Regulus (1828 and 1837).
Cacoethes scribendi
Insatiable desire to write (really want to write). Submitted to an urgent need to write. Monomaniac focused on writing, graphomaniac.
Cacoēthes “bad habit”, or medically, “malignant disease” is a borrowing of Greek kakoēthes.[3] The phrase is derived from a line in the Satires of Juvenal: Tenet insanabile multos scribendi cacoethes, or “the incurable desire (or itch) for writing affects many”.
Cadavera vero innumera
Truly countless corpses. Formula of the unknown author of the Latin Panegyric, 311-312, after the Battle of Châlons in 274.
Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius
Kill them all. God will recognize his own.
Attributed without justification to Bishop Arnaud Amalric, before the Béziers massacre, during the Albigensian Crusade (1209), by César d’Heisterbach, thirty years after the events.
Caelum non animum mutant which trans mare currunt
“Those who run through the seas only change the sky above their heads; they do not change their soul. Hexameter of Horace, Epistles, 1, 11, 27.
Caesar non supra grammaticos
Caesar is not above grammar.
It goes back to the Council of Constance, when the Emperor Sigismund was wrong about the gender of the word schisma (neutral because it comes from Greek, despite its feminine appearance). The cardinals explained his mistake to which he replied that as Emperor it was within his power to change the gender of the words. It was then that a cardinal rose to proclaim “Caesar non supra grammaticos”.
Cætera desunt
Medieval graphics.
Carpe Diem
Seize the day.
This epicurean expression has been immortalized thanks to a poem by Horace and translated by the sentence: “Seize the present day without worrying about tomorrow”. The rose, a fragile flower that quickly fades, became a metaphor for the brevity of human existence in 16th century French poetry. Ronsard writes: “Pick the roses of life today. in the Sonnets for Helen.
Carpe diem implies, more simply these days, that each person should enjoy life without worrying about tomorrow.
Cave canem
Beware of the dogs.
Cave canem is the ancestor of the “mean dog” signs visible at the entrance to our homes. At the time, these words made it possible to dissuade all visitors from entering the vestibules, dog or not. A warning which was notably found following archaeological excavations carried out in the buried city of Pompeii.
Casus belli
Actions or incidents that trigger war.
Celer – Silens – Mortalis
Fast – Silent – Deadly.
Ceteris paribus
With other things remaining the same.
In economics, the term ceteris paribus is often used, namely as an assumption to simplify various formulations and descriptions of various economic assumptions.
Cibi condimentum est fames
Hunger is the spice of every meal.
The meaning is that for hungry people, all food tastes good.
Cogito ergo sum
I think so I am.
A classic of our philosophy classes. Cogito ergo sum is a Latin formula by René Descartes (1596-1650) in his Discourse on Method. It is the basis of all his thinking around the notion of knowledge. The philosopher and mathematician attributes to it a sure and unique foundation because according to him, life as a “thing that thinks” is certain from the start.
This assertion was innovative and revolutionary, since it was the fruit not of reasoning but of reflection, mixing thought and existence.
D
Deus ex machina
God out of machines.
In direct translation, the term means, “God out of the machine” and it replays ancient Greek and Roman dramas. If the plot or plot gets too tangled or confusing, the writers will just take God, enter through the pulley system (the engine) and he will wrap things up. Today, it is still used in the literature to describe plots where artificial or impossible means of resolving conflict are used.
Da mihi factum, dabo tibi ius
Tell me the facts, I’ll tell you the law.
Principle of Roman law: the facts must be presented to the judge so that he can say the law.
Damnant quod non intelligunt
They condemn what they don’t understand. or “They condemn because they don’t understand.” (“Quod” is ambiguous here.) See also Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
Damnatio memoriae
Prohibition of memory.
Judgment formulated by the Senate of Rome in consideration of which certain disgraced citizens (in particular former emperors) were supposed never to have existed.
Damnum absque injuria
Too bad without intention.
In Roman law, no one is liable for damage caused without intention. However, this principle does not exonerate damages due to negligence or folly.
Dat Deus incrementum
God gives growth.
Dat veniam corvis, vexat censura columbas
Censorship forgives crows and pursues doves. Our censors are indulgent to the crows, but harass the doves. From Decimus Iunius (Junius) Iuvenalis (Juvenalis) (c. A.D. 60-117); Saturae, I, 63; who attacked the vices of the plutocrats, the wickedness and immorality of women and foreigners (particularly Greeks).
Data venia
Literally “Apologies being given”, that is to say “With all due respect” or “Excuse me”. Used before expressing disagreement with an opponent.
Davus sum, non Oedipus
I am Davus, not Oedipus. That is to say “I am not a sorcerer; I don’t have supernatural powers. Davus is a common slave name in comedies.
De commodo et incommodo
Of convenience and inconvenience.
Literally “On the pros and cons”. In the case of a project to install a structure (electricity pylon, railway, factory, etc.), a De commodo et incommodo survey is carried out to judge the advantages and disadvantages of the project.
De dicto
What is said. In logic, a distinction is made between propositions de re (concerning the thing) and propositions de dicto (about assertions concerning the thing).
De facto
Fact; in the facts.
Expresses the idea of contingency: the CEO being ill, the sub-director of the factory is de facto the director.
De gustibus coloribusque non disputandum
We don’t discuss tastes and colors. Discussions about personal preferences and tastes lead nowhere.
De integro
Still; again; a second time.
De internis non judicat praetor
The judge should not convict for mere thoughts. Legal adage (proverb).
De jure
By right; by law; by the law.
Expresses the idea of legal imperative, sometimes of necessary imperative. Often opposed to de facto. Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, is Canada’s de jure head of state; the Governor General of Canada is the de facto head of state.
De jure uxoris
By the right of woman.
Roman and medieval law term used to refer to a title, a possession acquired by a man simply by marriage to a woman who held it. In Roman and medieval law, women have no legal existence. When she disposes of or inherits titles or possessions, these become ipso facto the property of her husband.
De lege ferenda
According to desirable law. Legal adage (proverb) often preceding conclusions in the conditional expressing what would be “ideally fair”, for example “reparations which would have been appropriate although they are not provided for in the contract…” It is opposed to the phrase De lege lata: “According to applicable law”.
De lege lata
According to the law in force.
Legal adage (proverb) preceding the conclusions resulting from the law in force, even if the judges express their subjective opinion according to the “ideal law” according to the expression de lege ferenda. The expression de lege lara is opposed to the expression de lege ferenda.
De minimis non curat lex
The law does not concern itself with small things.
Axiom that is quoted to mean that a man who has high responsibilities does not have to worry about trifles. A case must have a certain importance to be submitted to the judge. Legal adage (proverb). See De minimis non curat prætor.
De minimis non curat prætor
The judge does not take care of small things. For an equivalent meaning, see Aquila non capit muscas.
De mortuis aut bene aut nihil
Of the dead, we speak well or we remain silent.
F – Latin Words
Fluctuat Nec Mergitur
It is tossed by the waves but does not sink. Floating but not sinking. The motto of the French capital, Paris.
The emblem of Paris, visible on the coat of arms of the city since 1358, is a boat. It is the symbol of the powerful corporation of the nautes de Lutèce, the former Gallo-Roman name of the French capital. Fluctuat Nec Mergitur is the official motto following a decree by Baron Haussman in 1853.
It was then inscribed on the plates of the headdresses of the Republican Guards and on the traditional helmet of the Paris firefighters until 1980. The fact of “not sinking” also refers to the risks of flooding faced by the city of Paris has always resisted.
Faber est suae quisque fortunae
Everyone is a designer / designer of his own destiny This sentence was spoken by Appius Claudius Caecus (340-273 BC), Censor, Consul and Dictator in the era of the Roman Republic.
Facilis descensus Averno
It’s so easy to descend into Averno. Averno is the name of a sulfur lake in southern Italy, near the Tyrrhenian sea. Due to the concentrated sulfur vapor produced by volcanic activity, no birds can survive in the area. Ancient Roman legend considered this place to be the gate of hell.
Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas
Blessed are those who can understand the cause of things. Excerpt from the work Excerpt from the work of Vergilius, Georgicon II: 490
Festina lente!
Hurry up but slowly! It means doing everything quickly but carefully. This sentence was spoken by Emperor Augustus.
Fiat justitia pereat mundus
Let justice be served, even if the world must perish. This sentence was uttered by Ferdinand I (1503–1564), King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1558 to 1564, which was adapted from a sentence that has almost the same meaning as Fiat justitia ruat coelum below.
Fiat justitia ruat caelum
Let justice be served, even if the heavens fall. . This sentence was spoken by Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus (43 BC).
Fiat lux
Be Light. Excerpts from the Old Testament, Genesis I:3
Fide, sed qui, vide
Believe but be careful choosing the people you trust.
Fortes fortuna iuvat
Good fortune helps the brave.
I – Latin Words
In vino veritas
In wine we find the truth.
In vino veritas is a Latin expression expressed in particular by Pliny the Elder. This proverb is inspired by the Greek adage (proverb) oinos kai aletheia which means “wine and truth go together”. The philosophy of life of the Ancients was well known for giving importance to the cult of Dionysus, god of the vine, wine and its excesses.
According to the sayings, the state of intoxication procured by the wine would make it a veritable serum of truth. Language slippages would then become commonplace following its consumption.
L – Latin Words
Lux umbra Dei meaning
Light is the shadow of God.
M
Magnum opus
The best work of someone (like an artist).
Major e longinquo reverentia
Seen from a distance, everything looks beautiful. Excerpt from the work of Tacitus, Annales I:47
Mala herbs cito crescit
Weeds grow rapidly.
Manus manum lavat
One hand washes the other.
Mater artium necessitas
Need is the mother of knowledge.
Maxima debtor puero reverentia
Abundant love must be given to children. Excerpt from the work Juvenal, Satura XIV:47
Medicus curat, natura sanat
The healer/doctor treats, Nature heals.
Mea Culp
My fault. If you want to admit your own fault or guilt in a certain situation, use this Latin which literally means “my fault.”
Medio tutissimus ibis
You’re walking in the safest place, in the middle ground. This means that impartiality is the safest. Excerpt from the work of Ovidus, Metamorphoses II:137
Memento mori
Remember you will die. The motto of the Cistercian Catholic Order or better known as the Trappis. Which means remember that everyone must die.
Memento viveere
Remember to live.
Mens sana in corpore sano
In a healthy body there is a healthy soul. Excerpt from a book by Juvenal, Satura X:356
Mens agitate molem
Thoughts that move the masses.
Causa metric
By meters. Meter is a rhythm that is systematically arranged based on the short length of the syllables in a poem. Sometimes a poet has to work hard by changing the word order or looking for equivalent words to fulfill this rule.
Modus operandi
Working method. Abbreviated to MO. One’s method of working, has a bad connotation as “the typical method of a criminal”.
Morituri te salutant
Those who are about to die greet you. These words were spoken by the Gladiators to the Emperor before the battle began.
Mulgere hircum
Milking male goats. To try the impossible.
Multa paucis
Say a lot in just a few words.
Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur
The world prefers to be deceived, therefore fool (them).
N – Latin Words
Nemo debet bis puniri pro uno delicto
No one should be punished twice for one offence.
Nunc lege, nunc ora, cum fervore labora sic erit hora brevis, sic labor ipse brevis
Reading, praying and working is the way to find time short and work easy.
Q – Latin Words
Qui scribit bis legit
The one who writes, reads twice.
Quid pro quo
Something for something, a fair/balanced exchange. It is a favor or benefit given in return for something. (a situation when two parties engage in a mutual agreement to exchange goods or services reciprocally.)
U
Ubi bene, ibi patria
Home is where you feel good. A very similar formula (but with a slightly different meaning) is found in Cicero, Tusculanes, 5, 37, 108: Patria est, ubicumque est bene “Wherever I feel good, I find my homeland there.
Ubi concordia, ibi victoria
Where there is harmony is victory.
Ubi lex non distinguit, nec nos distinguere debemus
Where the law does not distinguish, there is no need to distinguish. Legal adage (proverb).
Ubi est, mors, victoria tua
Death, where is your victory? Paul, First Epistle to the Corinthians, 15, 55. See here the corresponding extract from the Epistle to the Corinthians (1) and Second Epistle to the Corinthians
Ubi maior, minor cessat
The weak surrender to the strong.
Ubi plura nitent in carmine, non ego paucis offendi maculis
When the poem has beauties, a few stains do not shock me. Horace, Art poétique, 351.
Ubi societas, ibi jus
Where there is a society, there is a law. Legal adage / proverb.
Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant
Literally: “Where they make a desert, they say they have made peace. Better rendered: “Their ravages have made a wasteland and they call it peace.” » Tacitus, Life of Agricola, 30. Tacitus puts this formula in the mouth of Galgacus, a Caledonian hero condemning the excesses of the Romans. These words apply to conquerors who dress up their ravages with a specious pretext for civilization.
Ubi tu Gaius, ibi ego Gaia
Where you will be Gaius, I will be Gaia.
Paradigm of the formula of fidelity pronounced by the Roman spouses during the nuptials; Gaius being replaced by the first name of the husband and Gaia by the feminized first name of the husband. (Roman women have no legal existence and take, for patricians, the name of their gens – for example the women of the gens Iulia all have the name Iulia; the plebeians take the feminized name of their father or of their husband).
Ultima cave
Fear the last hour. Memento mori. Frequent inscription on sundials.
Ultima ratio regum
Literally: Force is the last argument of kings. Richelieu’s favorite motto, taken up by Louis XIV who had it inscribed on his canons.
Ultra posse nemo obligatur
The impossible no one is bound.
Ultra vires
Beyond Powers.
Expression of Roman law still in use in many rights signifying that a person or an organization endowed with certain powers by law (ministerial officer, civil servant, company, administration) has exceeded the powers conferred on him by law. The formula is unusual in French law.
Una salus victis, nullam sperare salutem
The vanquished have only one hope: hope for no salvation! Virgil, the Aeneid, 2, 354. Aeneas’ last exhortation to his comrades in arms during the capture of Troy in order to awaken in them the courage of despair.
Unitas virtute
Union welfare. Unity is strength.
Unum castigabis, centum emendabis
If you repress one error, you will correct a hundred.
Urbi et orbi
To the City and to the World.
The City is Rome. “Urbi et Orbi Blessing”: “Blessing of Rome and of the World”, that is to say: “Universal Blessing. Metaphorically “Proclaim urbi et orbi”: “Proclaim everywhere.
Usque ad sideras et usque ad inferos
From stars to hell.
In Roman law, as in many modern laws, the owner of land owns everything above, up to the stars, and everything below, down to the center of the Earth.
Usus magister est optimus
Practice is the best teacher.
Ut ameris, amabilis esto
To be loved, be kind. Ovid, The Art of Loving, 2, 107.
Ut ameris, ama
To be loved, love. Martial, Epigrams, 6, 11, 10.
Ut sis nocte levis, sit cena brevis
If you want to have a good night, don’t have a long dinner. Medieval formula attributed to Averroes.
Ut supra
As above.
Uti, non abuti
Use but do not abuse. from Latin (abusus: to misuse). This is the excessive use of a legal prerogative.
Ubi amicia ibi opes
Where there are friends there is strength.
Ubi bene, ibi patria
Where a person feels at home, there is his homeland.
Ubi concordia, ibi victoria
Where there is harmony, there is victory.
Ubi dubium, ibi libertas
Where there is doubt/question, there is freedom.
Ubi fumus, ibi ignis
Where there is smoke, there is fire. Similar to the proverb there is no smoke without fire.
Ubi mel ibi apes
Where there is honey, there are bees. Similar to the proverb there is sugar, there are ants. There is money, there are friends.
Ubi tu Gaius, ibi ego Gaia
Where there are you Gaius, there I am Gaia. This statement is often said in wedding ceremonies
Ultra posse nemo obligatur
No one is obliged to exceed his abilities.
Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis
Howl with the wolves, with them you want.
Una salus victis, nullam sperare salutem
The only hope of salvation for the losers, is to have no hope of salvation. Excerpt from the work of Vergilius, Aeneid II:354
Unum castigabis, centum emendabis
One mistake you punish, a hundred mistakes you must correct.
Usus magister est optimus
Experience is the best teacher.
Ut ameris, amabilis esto
Be kind so that you are loved.
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas
Even when power is absent, it is will that is worthy of praise. Excerpt from the work of Ovidus, Ex Ponto III:4:79
Ut sis nocte levis, sit cena brevis!
If you want a restful night’s sleep, have dinner in moderation!
Unus testis nullus testis
One witness is not a witness.
P
Per se
In itself.
This expression, or Latin phrase, has surely been used since the 18th century to mean “in oneself”, within oneself. It is quite uncommon in oral language, it is found mainly in books.
S
Saepe morborum gravium exitus incerti sunt
Solutions for serious illnesses are often uncertain.
Salus aegroti suprema lex
Patient health is the highest principle.
Salus populi suprema lex esto
Let the safety of the people be the highest law. The motto of the state of Missouri, United States of America.
Sapere aude
Dare to be smart. Quote from Horace, Epistulae II:40
Serviam
I will serve.
Status quo
The party in power/current state.
Maintaining the status quo means maintaining the current state of affairs. For some reason in Indonesia it is translated as “the party who has been in power for a long time”, so that even after stepping down, it is still dubbed the status quo (even though if you are no longer in power, it is not the status quo anymore).
V – Latin Words
Vade retro, Satanas !
Back, Satan!
Used today to repel bad things, this formula was originally pronounced by Jesus to distance himself from the proposals of Satan as well as his demons. Vade retro, Satanas! today designates a kind of shield expression used to counter what scares us or seems dangerous to us.
Verba volant, scripta manent
The words fly away, the writings remain.
Whatever you write will stay, whatever you’ll say, it will fly away.
Veni, vidi, vici
I came, I saw, I conquered
This Latin expression was pronounced by Julius Caesar to Senator Amintius, following a victory against the troops of Pharnaces II, in -47 BC. Rhythmic, concise and effective, this expression has become popular over time. It results in a fiery success, a success accomplished in a lapse of time.
Nowadays, the phrase Veni, vidi, vici is used in certain musical works, or even diverted and interpreted to change its meaning while keeping the effect of enumeration, a symbol of speed and efficiency.
Venit morbus eques, suevit abire pedes
Sickness comes on horseback, and returns on foot.
Sources: PinterPandai, Art of Manliness, Transparent
Photo credit: Arcaion via Pixabay
Latin Legal Terms and Expressions (Civil, Common and Ecclesiastical Laws)
