The most popular latin expressions with translation. Aphorisms in Latin with translation and comments

The students of our Academy study Latin. And all these phrases are handed over by heart .......

1. Dura lex, sed lex. - Severe, but the law.
2. Iustitia - fundamentum regni. - Justice is the basis of the state.
3. Summum ius - summa iniuria. - The highest right is the highest injustice.
4. Nemo iudex in propria causa. No one is a judge in his own case.
5. Testis unus - testis nullus. One witness is no witness.
6 Usus est tyrannus. - Custom is a tyrant.
7. Nomen est omen. - The name is a sign.
8. Semel heres semper heres. “Once an heir is always an heir.
9. Applicatio est vita regulae. “The application is the life of the law.
10. Magna neglegentia culpa est, magna culpa dolus est. Great negligence is negligence, great negligence is intent.
11. Ex aequo et bono. – With goodness and justice.\ With justice and kindness.
12. In dubio pro reo. - Doubt in favor of the defendant.
13. Qui timetur, timet. Whom they fear, he himself is afraid.
14. Sine precio nulla venditio est. “Without a price, there is no sale.
15. Naturam mutare pecunia nescit. “Money cannot change nature.
16. Invito beneficium non datur. - The blessing is not given against the will.
17. Divide et impera. - Divide and rule.
18. Superficies ad dominum soli cedit. - Superficies passes to the owner of the land.
19. Ius est ars boni et aequi. Law is the art of goodness and justice.
20. Non solet locatio dominium mutare. “Renting is not in the habit of changing ownership.
21. Ipso iure. – By virtue of the law itself. / By the law itself.
22. Tertium non datur. - There is no third.
23. Contra bonos mores. - Against good morals.
24. Pacta tertiis nec nocent, nec prosunt. – Contracts to third parties do not harm and do not help.
25. Socii mei socius meus socius non est. “My companion's companion is not my companion.
26. Pater is est quem nuptiae demonstrant. - The father is the one whom marriage indicates.
27. Nullus terminus falso est. There are no limits to lies. / There is no limit to lies.
28. Eius est velle, qui potest nolle. It is fitting for him to wish, who can not wish.
29. Cui bono est? - Who benefits?
30. Ibi potest valere populus, ubi leges valent. - There the people can have power, where laws have power.
31. Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur. “No one is punished for thinking.
32. Confessi pro iudicatis habentur. Those who confess are considered condemned.
33. Iudicis est ius dicere, non dare. It is fitting for a judge to create judgment, not to create law.
34. Ab omni iudicio provocari licet. Any court decision can be appealed.
35. Aeque in omnibus fraus punitur. - In relation to all, lying is equally punished.
36. Cui prodest? - Who benefits?
37. Heres, succedens in honore, succedit in onere. “The heir who inherits the good also inherits the heavy burden.
38. Ira furor brevis est. “Anger is short-term madness.
39. Furiosus absentis loco est. “The insane is like the absent.
40. Obligatio est iuris vinculum. “Obligation is the bond of law.
41. Male parta male dilabuntur.- Badly acquired dies badly.
42. Diligenter fines mandati custodiendi sunt.– The boundaries of the assignments must be observed.
43. Ad paenitendum properat, cito qui iudicat. - He who hastily judges hastens to repentance.
44. Abusus non tollit usum.- Abuse does not eliminate use.
45. Est res sanctissima civilis sapientia. The science of law is the most sacred work.
46. ​​Imperitia culpae adnumeratur. “Inexperience counts as guilt.
47. Lex prospicit, non respicit.– Law (…?)
48. Minus solvit, qui tardius solvit.- The one who returns more slowly returns less.
49. In iudicando criminosa est celeritas.- In court cases, haste is a crime.
50. Optima est legum interpres consuetudo.- The best interpreter of laws is practice.
51. Pudor doceri non potest, nasci potest.– Shame cannot be learned, /he/ can be born.
52. Sapere aude! - Decide to be wise!
53. Seditio civium hostium est occasio. - Citizens' rebellion is the luck of enemies.
54. Reus iisdem privilegiis utitur, quibus et actor. - The defendant enjoys the same rights that /enjoy/ and the plaintiff.
55. Semper in dubiis benigniora praeferenda sunt. - Always in doubtful cases prefer softer /solutions/.
56. Tacito consensu omnium.- Thanks to the silent consent of all.
57. Tironibus parcendum est. - Recruits (newbies) should be spared.
58. Ubi iudicat, qui accusat, vis, non lex valet. - Where the one who accuses judges, violence does not rule.
59. Verba cum effectu sunt accipienda.- Words should be taken according to the result.
60. Tutor rem pupilli emere non potest. - The guardian cannot buy the thing of the ward.

Magis inepte, quam ineleganter.(MAGIS INEPTE, KVAM INELEGANTHER.)
More ridiculous than ugly.
Suetonius in "Divine Claudius" about the emperor: "He also composed eight books about his life, written not so much tastelessly as stupidly."

Magister bibendi(MASTER BIBENDY).
Drinking teacher; the manager of a drinking party; master of drinking.

Magni nominis umbra(MAGNI NOMINIS UMBR.)
The shadow of a great name (about a person who survived the time of his fame and success, or about a descendant of a great person).
From L u k a n a.

magnum opus(MAGNUM OPUS).
Main work.

Mala gallina - malum ovum(MALYA TALLINNA - MALYUM OVUM).
A bad chicken is a bad egg.
Wed Russian: The apple doesn't fall far from the apple tree.

Mala herba cito crescit(MALYA HERBA CYTO CRESTIT).
The thin grass is growing fast.
Proverb.

Male cuncta ministrat impetus(MALE KUNKTA MINISTRAT IMPETUS).
Passion is a bad leader.
From Papinia Stacia.

Mali principit - malus finis mali(PRINCIPLES - MALYUS FINIS).
Bad start, bad ending.
From T e r e n c and I.

Malesuada fame(MALEZOUADA FAMES).
Hunger is a bad adviser.
From V e r g and l and I.

Malo cum Platone errare, quam cum aliis recte sentire(SMALL KUM PLATONE ERRARE, KVAM KUM ALIIS REKTE SENTIRE).
It is better to be wrong with Plato than to be right with others. Or: Better to be wrong with a wise man than be right with fools.

Malum consillium est, quod mutari non potest(MALYUM CONSILLIUM EST, KVOD MUTARI NON POTEST).
A bad decision is one that cannot be changed.
From Publilius Syrus (1st century BC).

Malum nullum est sine aliquo bono(MALYUM NULLUM EST SINE ALIKVO BONO).
There is no bad without good.
A proverb found in Pliny the Elder.

Malus animus(MALYUS ANIMUS).
Bad intention.

Malus eventus(MALYUS EVENTUS).
Bad case; bad incident.

Mane et nocte(MANE ET NOKTE).
Morning and night.

Manifestum non eget probatione(MANIFESTUM NON EGET PROBATIONE).
The obvious needs no proof.

Manus manum lavat(MANUS MANUM LYAVAT).
The hand washes the hand.
The proverb is found in Petronius, in Seneca.

Mare interbibere(MARE INTERBIBERE).
Drink the sea, i.e. do the impossible.
Source - a legend told by Plutarch (c. 46 - c. 127) about the decision controversial issue between Ethiopian and Egyptian kings.

Materia subtilis(MATERIA SUBTILIS).
Thin, delicate matter.

Materia tractanda(MATERIA TRAKTANDA).
The subject of discussion, conversation.

mater nature(MATER NATURA).
Nature is mother.

mater pia(MATER PIA).
Gentle, kind mother.

Mea culpa(IEA KULPA).
My fault; sinful.

Mea, memoria(IEA MEMORIA).
On my memory.

Mea parvitas(IEA PARVITAS).
My insignificance (derogatory about myself).
From Valerius Maximus (1st century AD).

Medice, cura te ipsum!(MEDICE, KURA TE IPSUMS!)
Physician, heal thyself!
The Gospel of Luke, 4, 23. The proverb that Jesus Christ used in a conversation with the inhabitants of Nazareth: "He said to them: of course, you will tell Me a proverb: doctor! heal yourself; do here, in your homeland, what, we heard it was in Capernaum."

Mel in ore, verba lactis, fel in corde, fraus in factis(MEL IN ORE, VERBA LYAKTIS, FEL IN CORDE, FRAUS IN FACTIS).
Honey on the tongue, milk in words, bile in the heart, deceit in deeds.
Ancient epigram on the Jesuits.

Melius non incipient, quam desinent(MELIUS NON INCIPIENT, KVAM DEZINENT).
Better not to start than to stop halfway.
From Senek.

memento mori(MEMENTO MORI).
Memento Mori!
A form of greeting exchanged upon meeting by the monks of the Trappist Order, founded in 1664.

Memento quod es homo(MEMENTO KVOD ES HOMO).
Remember that you are human.
From F. Bacon (1561-1626).

Mendax in uno, mendax in omnibus(MENDAX IN UNO, MENDAX IN OMNIBUS).
He who lied about one lies about everything.

Mens agitat molem(MENS AGITAT MOLEM).
The mind moves the mass, i.e. thought sets matter in motion.
From Virgil.

Mens sana in cologne sano(MANS SANA IN CORPORE SANO).
There is healthy mind in a healthy body.
From Yu v e n a l a.

meo voto(IEO VOTO).
In my opinion.

Merito fortunae(MERITO FORTUNE).
By a lucky chance.

Mihi nihil aliud virile sexus esset(MICHI NIHIL ALIUD VIRILE SEXUS ASSET).
If I have anything masculine, then it is a sign of sex.
From Petronius the Arbiter.

Mihi vindicta, ego retribuam.(MICHI VINDIKTA, EGO RETRIBOOAM).
Vengeance is mine, and Az will repay.
Romans 12:19.

Militavi pop sine gloria.(MILITAVI NON SINE GLORIA).
I fought not without glory.
From Horace.

Minima de malis(MINIMA DE MALIS).
Lesser of two evils (choose).

minus habens(MINUS HUBENS).
Having little (about a person of small abilities).

miserable dicta(MISERABILE DICTU).
Worthy of regret.

Mixture verborum(MIXTURE VERBORUM).
Verbal mix.

Modo vir, modo femina(MODO VIR, MODO FEMINA).
Either a man or a woman.
From Ovid.

modus agendi(MODUS AGENDI).
Modus operandi.

modus cogitandi(MODUS KOGITANDI).
Way of thinking.

Modus dicendi(MODUS DITSENDI).
Way of speaking.

modus vivendi(MODUS VIVENDI).
Lifestyle.

Moilia tempora fandi(MOllIA TEMPORA FANDI).
Time convenient for a conversation.

More majorum(MORE MAYORUM).
According to the custom of the ancestors; as was done in the old days.

Mors animee(MORS ANIME).
Death of the soul.

Mors ultima ratio(MORS ULTIMA RATIO).
Death is the last resort for everything.

Mortem effugere nemo potest.(MORTEM EFFUGERE NEMO POTEST).
Nobody can escape death.
From Cicero.

Multa nocent(MULTA NOCENT).
Lots of damage.

Multa, non multum(MULT, NON MULTUM).
Much, but not much, i.e. large in number, but insignificant.

Multi paucis(MULTA POUCIS).
Much in a little, that is, short and clear.

Multi sunt vocati, pauci vero electi(MULTI SUNT VOKATI, PAUCI VERO ELECTI).
Many are called, but few are chosen.
Gospel of Matthew, 20, 16. In his parable, Jesus Christ compares the kingdom of heaven with the owner of the house, who hired workers in his vineyard. He paid everyone equally for the work: both those who came in the morning and those who came at the end of the day. One of those who got hired in the morning began to complain about the injustice of such payment. But the owner of the vineyard answered him this way: “Take what is yours and go; but I want to give this latter the same as you; am I not in my power to do what I want? Or is your eye envious because I am kind? the last first, and the first last; for many are called, but few are chosen."

Multum in parvo(MULTUM IN PARVO).
Much in a small amount (about a large content in a small volume).

Multum, non multa(MULTUM, NON MULTA).
Much, not much (read, do).
Proverb; found in Pliny the Elder: "You ask how I advise you to study in your long seclusion ... Do not forget to carefully choose authors in each genre. After all, you need, as they say, to read a lot, not a lot." Also in Quintilian: "We must develop the mind and develop style by reading a lot, and not by reading a lot."

Mundus uqiversus exercet histrioniam(MUNDUS UNIVERSUS EXERCETS HISTRIONIAM).
The whole world is engaged in acting.
From Petronius the Arbiter.

Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur(MUNDUS VOLT DETSIPI, ERGO DETSIPIATUR).
The world wants to be deceived, let it be deceived.
The aphorism is attributed to Pope Paul IV (1555-1559); in a truncated form is found in some medieval authors.

Munerum animus optimus est(MUNEROOM ANIMUS OPTIMUS ECT).
The best of gifts is intention, i.e. a gift is not expensive - love is dear.

Mus in pice(MOUS IN PICE).
Mouse in peas (about a situation from which it is difficult to get out).

Mutatis mutandis(MUTATIS MUTANDIS).
By changing what needs to be changed; with changes; with reservations; according to the circumstances and conditions.

Mutato nomine(MUTATO NOMINE).
Under a different name.

Mysterium magnum(MYSTERIUM MAGNUM).
Great miracle; great mystery.
From Jacob Boehme (1575-1624).

Latin is the noblest language in existence. Maybe because he's dead? Knowing Latin is not a utilitarian skill, it is a luxury. You will not speak it, but you will shine in society ... There is no language that helps to impress so much!

1. Scio me nihil scire
[scio me nikhil scire]

“I know that I don’t know anything,” according to Plato, Socrates spoke of himself this way. And he explained this idea: people usually believe that they know something, but it turns out that they do not know anything. Thus, it turns out that, knowing about my ignorance, I know more than everyone else. A phrase for those who like to fill in the fog and reflective persons.

2. Cogito ergo sum
[kogito, ergo sum]

“I think, therefore I am” is the philosophical statement of René Descartes, a fundamental element of modern Western rationalism.

"Cogito ergo sum" is not the only formulation of Descartes' idea. More precisely, the phrase sounds like “Dubito ergo cogito, cogito ergo sum” - “I doubt, then I think; I think, therefore I am." Doubt is, according to Descartes, one of the modes of thinking. Therefore, the phrase can also be translated as "I doubt, therefore I exist."

3. Omnia mea mecum porto
[omnia mea mecum porto]

“I carry everything with me.” Roman historians say that in the days of the conquest of the Greek city of Priene by the Persians, the sage Byant calmly walked lightly behind a crowd of fugitives, barely carrying heavy property. When asked where his things were, he grinned and said: “Everything I have, I always carry with me.” He spoke in Greek, but these words have come down to us in a Latin translation.

It turned out, historians add, that he was a real sage; along the way, all the refugees lost their property, and soon Biant fed them on the gifts that he received, leading instructive conversations with their inhabitants in cities and villages.

This means that the inner wealth of a person, his knowledge and mind are more important and more valuable than any property.

4. Dum spiro, spero
[dum spiro, spero]

By the way, this phrase is also the slogan of the underwater special forces - combat swimmers of the Russian Navy.

5. Errare humanum est
[errare humanum est]

"To err is human" - the aphorism of Seneca Sr. In fact, this is just part of the aphorism, in its entirety it sounds like this: “Errare humanum est, stultum est in errore perseverare” - “It is human nature to err, but it is foolish to persist in your mistakes.”

6. O tempora! About mores!
[about tempora, about mores]

"O times! Oh manners! - most famous expression Cicero from the "First speech against Catiline", which is considered the pinnacle of Roman oratory. Revealing the details of the conspiracy at a meeting of the Senate, Cicero expresses indignation with this phrase both at the arrogance of the conspirator, who dared to come to the Senate as if nothing had happened, and at the inaction of the authorities.

Usually the expression is used, stating the decline of morals, condemning an entire generation. However, this expression may well become a funny joke.

7. In vino veritas, in aqua sanitas
[in vino veritas, in aqua sanitas]

“Truth is in wine, health is in water” - almost everyone knows the first part of the saying, but the second part is not so widely known.

8. Homo homini lupus est
[homo hominy lupus est]

"Man is a wolf to man" is a proverbial expression from Plautus' comedy "Donkeys". Used when they want to say something human relations It's all selfishness and enmity.

In Soviet times, this phrase characterized the capitalist system, in contrast to which, in the society of the builders of communism, man is a friend, comrade and brother to man.

9. Per aspera ad astra
[per aspera ed astra]

"Through hardship to the stars". The variant "Ad astra per aspera" - "To the stars through thorns" is also used. Perhaps the most poetic Latin saying. Its authorship is attributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca, an ancient Roman philosopher, poet and statesman.

10 Veni, vidi, vici
[veni, see, vichi]

“I came, I saw, I conquered,” Gaius Julius Caesar wrote in a letter to his friend Aminty about the victory over one of the Black Sea fortresses. According to Suetonius, it was these words that were written on the board that was carried during the triumph of Caesar in honor of this victory.

11. Gaudeamus igitur
[gaudeamus igitur]

"So, let's have fun" - the first line of the student anthem of all times and peoples. The hymn was created in the Middle Ages in Western Europe and, contrary to church-ascetic morality, praised life with its joys, youth and science. This song goes back to the genre of drinking songs of vagants - medieval wandering poets and singers, among whom were students.

12. Dura lex, sed lex
[stupid lex, sad lex]

There are two translations of this phrase: "The law is harsh, but it is the law" and "The law is the law." Many people think that this phrase refers to the times of Roman law, but it is not. The maxim dates back to the Middle Ages. In Roman law, there was just a flexible, allowing to soften the letter of the law, the rule of law.

13. Si vis pacem, para bellum
[se vis packem para bellum]

14. Repetitio est mater studiorum
[repetition est mater studio]

One of the proverbs most beloved by the Latins, is also translated into Russian by the proverb "Repetition is the mother of learning."

15. Amor tussisque non celantur
[amor tusisque non tselantur]

“You can’t hide love and cough” - in fact, there are a lot of sayings about love in Latin, but this one seems to us the most touching. And relevant in anticipation of autumn.

Fall in love, but be healthy!

Do you want a Latin tattoo? Your attention - Aphorisms with translation and comments.

Latin tattoo

A contrario
On the contrary
In logic, a method of proof, which consists in proving the impossibility of a proposition that contradicts what is being proved.

Ab ovo usque ad mala
"From eggs to apples", that is, from beginning to end
The dinner of the ancient Romans usually began with an egg and ended with fruit.

Abyssus abyssum invocat
The abyss calls to the abyss
Like entails like, or one calamity entails another calamity.

ad note
"Note"

Aditum nocendi perfido praestat fides ("In Latin")
The trust placed in the perfidious makes it possible for him to harm
Seneca, "Oedipus"

Advocatus diaboli ("In Latin")
Devil's Advocate
In an extended sense, the devil's advocate is the advocate of a lost cause that the defender himself does not believe in.

Alea jacta est ("About Latin")
"The die is cast", there is no way back, all bridges are burned
In 44 BC. e. Julius Caesar decided to seize sole power and crossed the Rubicon River with his troops, thereby breaking the law and starting a war with the Roman Senate.

Aliis inserviendo consumer
Serving others is wasting myself
The inscription under the candle as a symbol of self-sacrifice, cited in numerous editions of collections of symbols and emblems.

Amicus Socrates, sed magis amica veritas
Socrates is my friend, but the truth is dearer
The expression goes back to Plato and Aristotle.

Amor non est medicabilis herbis
Love is not treated with herbs, i.e. there is no cure for love
Ovid, Heroes

Annie currentis
Current year

Anno Domini
From the birth of Christ, in the year of the Lord
Form of designation of the date in the Christian chronology.

Ante annum
Last year

Aquila non captat muscas
The eagle does not catch flies, Latin proverb

Asinus Buridani inter duo prata
Buridan's donkey
A person who hesitates between two equal possibilities. It is believed that the philosopher Buridan, proving the failure of determinism, gave the following example: a hungry donkey, on both sides of which there are two identical and equidistant armfuls of hay, will not be able to prefer any of them and will eventually die of hunger. This image was not found in the writings of Buridan.

Aurea mediocritas
Golden mean
The formula of practical morality, one of the main provisions of the worldly philosophy of Horace, which found expression in his lyrics; It is also used to characterize mediocre people. Horace

Auribus tento lupum
I hold the wolf by the ears
I am in a hopeless situation. , latin proverb

Aut Caesar, aut nihil
Or Caesar or nothing
Wed Russian Either hit or miss. The source of the motto was the words of the Roman emperor Caligula, who explained his immoderate extravagance by the fact that “one must live either by denying oneself in everything, or in Caesar's way”.

Ave Caesar, imperator, morituri te salutant
Hail Caesar, emperor, those who are about to die greet you
Greetings from Roman gladiators addressed to the emperor.

Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 5:3

Benefacta male locata malefacta arbitror
Benefits rendered to the unworthy, I consider atrocities
Cicero

Cadmea victoria
"Kadm's victory", a victory won at an excessively high price and tantamount to defeat, or a victory disastrous for both sides
The expression arose on the basis of a legend about a duel in the struggle for Thebes, founded by Cadmus, the sons of Oedipus - Eteocles and Polynices. This duel ended in the death of both warring brothers.

Caesarem Decet Stanem Mori
Caesar befits to die standing, Report of Suetonius on the last words of the emperor Vespasian

Calamitas virtutis occasio
Calamity is the touchstone of valor
Seneca

Cantus cycneus
a swan song
“He says that just as the swans, having sensed the gift of prophecy from Apollo, to whom they are dedicated, foresee what a gift death will be for them, and die singing and with joy, so should all the good and wise.”
Cicero, Tusculan Discourses, I, 30, 73

Castigat ridento mores
"Laughter castigates morals"
The motto of the comedy theater (Opera Comique) in Paris. Originally - the motto of the Italian troupe of the comic actor Dominic (Dominico Brancolelli) in Paris, composed for her by the New Latin poet Santel (XVII century).

Ceterum censeo Carthaginem delendam esse
And besides, I maintain that Carthage must be destroyed
A persistent reminder, a relentless call to something. The Roman senator Marcus Porcius Cato, no matter what he had to express his opinion in the Senate, added: "Besides, I believe that Carthage should not exist."

Charta (epistula) non erubescit
Paper (writing) does not blush

Citius, altius, fortius!
Faster, higher, stronger!
The motto of the Olympic Games, adopted in 1913 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Clipeum post vulnera sumere
Take up a shield after being wounded
Wed Russian They don't wave their fists after a fight.

Cloaca maxima
Great sewer, great cesspool
In ancient Rome - a large channel for the removal of urban sewage.

Cogitations poenam nemo patitur
No one is punished for thoughts, One of the provisions of Roman law (Digesta)

Cogito, ergo sum
I think, therefore I am
The position from which French philosopher and the mathematician Descartes tried to build a system of philosophy free from elements of faith and based entirely on the activity of the mind.
Rene Descartes, Elements of Philosophy, I, 7, 9

Concordia parvae res crescunt, discordia maximae dilabuntur
With agreement (and) small states (or affairs) grow, with discord (and) great ones are destroyed
Sallust, "Jugurtin's War"

Conscientia mille testes
Conscience is a thousand witnesses, Latin proverb

Consuetudo est altera natura
Habit is second nature
Habit creates a kind of second nature
Cicero, "On the Supreme Good and the Supreme Evil", V, 25, 74 (in the presentation of the views of the philosophers of the Epicurean school)

Cornucopiae
Cornucopia
The origin of the expression is related to Greek myth about the goddess Amalthea, who nursed the baby Zeus with goat's milk. The goat broke her horn on a tree, and Amalthea, filling it with fruits, offered it to Zeus. Subsequently, Zeus, having overthrown his father, Kronos, turned the goat that fed him into a constellation and its horn into a wonderful "horn of plenty".
Ovid, Fasti

Corruptio optimi pessima
The fall of the good is the most evil fall

Credat Judaeus Apella
“Let the Jew Apella believe this,” that is, let anyone believe, but not me
Horace, "Satires"

Credo, quia verum
I believe because it's ridiculous
A formula that clearly reflects the fundamental opposition between religious faith and scientific knowledge of the world and is used to characterize blind faith that does not reason.

De gustibus non disputandum est
Tastes could not be discussed
Wed Russian There is no comrade for the taste and color.

De mortuis aut bene, aut nihil
About dead or good or nothing
A probable source is the saying of Chilo “about the dead do not slander”.

Decies repetita placebit
And ten times repeated will please
Horace, "The Science of Poetry"

Decipimur specie recti
We are deceived by the appearance of the right
Horace, "The Science of Poetry"

Deest remedii locus, ubi, quae vitia fuerunt, mores fiunt
There is no place for drugs where what was considered a vice becomes a custom
Seneca, "Letters"

Delirium tremens
"Trembling delirium", delirium tremens
Acute mental illness resulting from prolonged alcohol abuse.

Desipère in loco
Crazy where appropriate
Horace, "Odes"

Deus ex machina
god from the machine
The reception of an ancient tragedy, when a tangled intrigue received an unexpected denouement through the intervention of a god who appeared through a mechanical device.
In modern literature, the expression is used to indicate an unexpected resolution of a difficult situation.

Dies diem docet
The day teaches the day
A brief formulation of the thought expressed in the verse Publication Sira: "The next day is the student of the previous day."

Dies irae, dies illa
That day, the day of wrath
The beginning of the medieval church hymn is the second part of the funeral mass, the requiem. The hymn is based on the biblical prophecy of the Day of Judgment, "The Prophecy of Zephaniah", 1, 15.

Diluvi testes
Witnesses of the Flood (i.e., ancient times)
About people with outdated, archaic views.

Divide and impera
Divide and rule
Latin formulation of the principle of imperialist policy, which arose already in modern times.

Dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirat?
Who will decide between cunning and valor when dealing with an enemy?
Virgil, "Aeneid", II, 390

Ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt
Fate leads the one who wants to go, the unwilling one drags
The saying of Cleanthes, translated into Latin by Seneca.

Dura lex, sed lex
The law is harsh, but it is the law
No matter how harsh the law, it must be observed.

Ecce spectaculum dignum, ad quod respiciat intentus operi suo deus
Here is the spectacle worthy so that God looks back at him, contemplating his creation
Seneca, "On Providence"

Edite, bibite, post mortem nulla voluptas!
Eat, drink, there is no pleasure after death!
From an old student song. A common motif of ancient inscriptions on tombstones and tableware.

Ego sum rex Romanus et supra grammaticos
I am a Roman emperor and I am above grammarians
The words said, according to legend, at the Council of Constance by Emperor Sigismund in response to an indication made to him that by using the word schisma in the feminine gender, he violated Latin grammar.

Ergo bibamus
So let's have a drink
Title and salutation of Goethe's drinking song.

Esse oportet ut vivas, non vivere ut edas
You have to eat to live, not live to eat
A medieval maxim paraphrasing the ancient sayings of Quintilian: “I eat to live, not live to eat” and Socrates: “Some people live to eat, but I eat to live.”

Et tu quoque, Brute!
And you Brute!
Words, as if uttered before his death by Caesar, stabbed with twenty-three swords of conspirators.

Etiam innocentes cogit mentiri dolor
Pain makes even the innocent lie
Publius, "Sentences"

Ex ipso fonte bibere
Drink from the source itself, i.e. refer to the original source
Cicero, "On Duties"

Ex malis eligere minima
Choose the least of evils

ex nihilo nihil fit
Nothing comes from nothing; nothing comes out of nothing
Paraphrase of the main position of Epicurean philosophy in Lucretius

Fac-simile(from fac+simile "do like this")
Exact copy
Peren. display of one phenomenon in another.

Facilis descensus Avernis
The path through Avernus is easy, that is, the path to the underworld
Lake Avernus near the city of Kuma in Campania was considered the threshold underworld.

Feci quod potui, faciant meliora potentes
I did my best, who can, let him do better
A paraphrase of the formula with which the Roman consuls concluded their reporting speech, transferring authority to the successor.

fiat lux
Let there be light
And God said: let there be light. And there was light. , Bible, Genesis, I, 3

Hoc est vivere bis, vita posse priore frui
To be able to enjoy the life lived means to live twice
Martial, "Epigrams"

Homo homini lupus est
Man to man is a wolf
Plautus, "Donkeys"

Homo proponit, sed deus disponit
Man proposes, God disposes
It goes back to Thomas the Kempis, the source for which was the Bible, Proverbs of Solomon "The heart of a man directs his way, but it depends on the Lord to direct his steps."

Igni et ferro
Fire and iron
The original source of the expression goes back to the first aphorism of Hippocrates: "What medicines do not cure, iron heals; what iron does not cure, fire heals." Cicero, Livy used the expression "to destroy with fire and sword." Bismarck proclaimed the policy of German unification with iron and blood. The expression gained wide popularity after the publication of the novel "With Fire and Sword" by Henryk Sienkiewicz.

Ignoscito saepe alteri, nunquam tibi
Forgive others often, never yourself
Publius, Maxims

Imperitia pro culpa habetur
Ignorance is imputed, Formula of Roman law

In pace leones, in proelio cervi
In time of peace - lions, in battle - deer
Tertullian, "On the wreath"

In sensu strictiori
In a narrower sense

In silvam non ligna feras insanius
Less madness would be to carry firewood into the forest
Horace, "Satires"

In vino veritas
Truth in wine
Wed Pliny the Elder: "It is generally accepted to attribute truthfulness to guilt."

In vitium ducit culpae fuga
The desire to avoid a mistake involves another
Horace, "The Science of Poetry"

Infelicissimum genus infortunii est fuisse felicem
The greatest misfortune is to be happy in the past
Boethius

Intelligent pauca
For those who understand, a little is enough

Ira furor brevis est
Anger is a momentary insanity
Horace, "Messages"

Is fecit cui prodest
Made by the one who benefits

Jus primae noctis
Right of the first night
The custom according to which a feudal lord or landowner could spend his wedding night with the bride of his beloved vassal or serf.

Leve fit, quod bene fertus onus
A load becomes light when you carry it with humility.
Ovid, Love Elegies

Lucri bonus est odor ex re qualibet
The smell of profit is pleasant, no matter where it comes from
Juvenal, "Satires"

Manus manum lavat
hand washes hand
A proverb that goes back to the Greek comedian Epicharmus.

Margaritas ante porcos
Cast pearls before swine
“Do not give the shrine to dogs; and do not cast pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn, they will not tear you apart. , Gospel of Matthew, 7, 6

memento mori
memento Mori
A form of greeting exchanged upon meeting by the monks of the Trappist Order, founded in 1664. It is used both as a reminder of the inevitability of death, and in a figurative sense - of imminent danger.

Nigra in candida vertere
turn black into white
Juvenal, "Satires"

Nihil est ab omni parte beatum
“There is nothing prosperous in all respects,” that is, there is no complete well-being
Horace, "Odes"

Nihil habeo, nihil curo
I don't have anything - I don't care about anything

Nitinur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata
We always strive for the forbidden and desire the unlawful
Ovid, Love Elegies

Non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum
“Not every person manages to get to Corinth”, dear to everyone, the Corinthian hetaera * Laida, famous for her beauty, was available only to the rich who came to her from all over Greece, which is why a common saying among the Greeks arose: “not everyone can swim in Corinth brought." Once Demosthenes secretly came to Laida, but when she asked him to give ten thousand drachmas **, he turned away with the words: "I do not pay ten thousand drachmas for repentance."
* - in Dr. Greece, an educated unmarried woman leading a free, independent lifestyle.
** - approximately the price of four kilograms of gold.

Nunc est bibendum
Now I gotta drink
Horace, "Odes"

O imitatores, servum pecus!
O imitators, slave herd!
Horace, "Messages"

O sancta simplicitas!
Oh holy simplicity
The phrase attributed to the Czech reformer, the hero of the national liberation movement Jan Hus. According to legend, Gus, who was being burned at the stake, uttered these words when some old woman, out of pious motives, threw an armful of brushwood into the fire.

O tempora! About mores!
O times! Oh manners!
“Speech against Catiline”, “O times! Oh manners! The Senate understands this, the consul sees it, and he [Catiline] lives.”
Cicero

Oderint dum metuant
Let them hate, if only they were afraid
The words of Atreus from the tragedy Aktion named after him. According to Suetonius, this was the favorite saying of the emperor Caligula.

Omne ignotum pro magnifico est
Everything unknown appears majestic
Tacitus, "Agricola"

Omnia mea mecum porto
I carry everything with me
When the city of Priene was taken by the enemy and the inhabitants on the run tried to capture more of their belongings, someone advised the sage Biantu to do the same. “That's what I do, because I carry everything of mine with me,” he replied, referring to his spiritual wealth.

Optimum medicamentum quies est
The best medicine is peace
A medical aphorism, authored by the Roman physician Aulus Cornelius Celsus.

Panem and circles
Meal'n'Real
An exclamation expressing the basic demands of the Roman crowd in the era of the Empire.

Per aspera ad astra
"Through hardship to the stars"; through difficulties to high purpose

Per risum multum debes cognoscere stultum
By frequent laughter you should recognize a fool, Medieval proverb

Periculum in mora
"Danger in procrastination", i.e., procrastination is dangerous
Titus Livy, "History", "When there was already more danger in delay than in violation of military order, everyone randomly fled."

persona grata
Desired person or trusted person

Post scriptum (postscriptum) (abbr. P.S.)
After what was written
Postscript at the end of the letter.

Primus inter pares
First among equals
A formula characterizing the position of the monarch in a feudal state.

Pro et contra
Pros and cons

Quae sunt Caesaris Caesari
Caesar's to Caesar
“Render back the things of Caesar to Caesar and to the God of God,” Jesus' response to the Pharisees who asked whether Caesar (i.e., the Roman emperor) should be paid the fee he demanded. , Gospel of Luke, 20, 25

Qui alphabet aures audiendi, audiat
He who has ears to hear, let him hear, Matthew 11:15

Qui tacet – consentire videtur
Who is silent is considered as having agreed
Wed Russian Silent means consent.

Quid brevi fortes jaculamur aevo multa?
Why should we strive for so much in a fleeting life?
Horace, "Odes"

Quot capita, tot sensus
How many heads, so many minds
Wed Terence, Formion: So many people, so many opinions.

Rideamus!
Let's laugh!

Risus sardonicus
sardonic laughter
According to the explanation of the ancients - laughter, reminiscent of a convulsive grimace caused by poisoning of poisonous grass growing on the island of Sardinia.

Salus reipublicae - suprema lex
The welfare of the state is the supreme law
Paraphrase from "Let the good of the people be the highest law."

Salve, maris stella
Hello star of the sea
A variant of the initial words of the Catholic church hymn “Ave, maris stella” (IX century) - Mary was considered a guide for sailors due to the erroneous convergence of her name (ancient Hebrew Mirjam) with the Latin word mare “sea”.

Scio me nihil scire
I know that I know nothing
Latin translation of loosely interpreted words of Socrates.
Wed Russian Learn forever, you'll die a fool.

Si vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war
Source - Vegetius. Also cf. Cicero: "If we want to enjoy the world, we have to fight" and Cornelius Nepos: "The world is created by war."

Solitudinem faciunt, pacem appelant
They create a desert and call it peace
From the speech of the British leader Kalgak, urging his fellow tribesmen to resolutely oppose the Romans who invaded their country.
Tacitus, "Agricola"

Summa summarum
"Sum of sums", i.e. the final total or in the grand total
In ancient times, the phrase was used in the meaning of "a set of things" or "universe".

Suum cuique
To each his own, that is, to each what belongs to him by right, to each according to his merits, Regulation of Roman law

Tarde venientibus ossa
Who comes late - the bones, Latin proverb

Tempus edax rerum
Devouring Time
Ovid, "Metamorphoses"

Terra incognita
Unknown land; trans. something completely unknown or inaccessible area
On ancient geographical maps, unexplored parts of the earth's surface were designated in this way.

Tertium non datur
There is no third; there is no third
In formal logic, this is how one of the four laws of thinking is formulated - the law of the excluded middle. According to this law, if two diametrically opposed positions are given, one of which affirms something, and the other, on the contrary, denies, then there can be no third, middle judgment between them.

Tibi et igni
“To you and the fire”, i.e. read and burn

Timeo Danaos and dona ferentes
Be afraid of the Danes, even those who bring gifts
The words of the priest Laocoön, referring to a huge wooden horse built by the Greeks (Danaans) allegedly as a gift to Minerva.

Tranquillas etiam naufragus horret aquas
The shipwrecked and still water fears
Wed Russian Burnt child dreads the fire.
Ovid, "Messages from Pontus"

Urbi et orbi
"City and the world"; to the whole world, to everyone and everyone

Usus tyrannus
Custom is a tyrant

Varietas delectat
Variety is fun
Phaedrus, "Fables"

Veni, vidi vici
I came, I saw, I conquered
According to Plutarch, with this phrase, Julius Caesar reported in a letter to his friend Amintius about the victory in the battle of Zela in August 47 BC. e. over the Pontic king Farnak.

Victoria nulla est, Quam quae confessos animo quoque subjugat hostes
The real victory is only when the enemies themselves recognize themselves as defeated.
Claudian, "On the Sixth Consulate of Honorius"

Viva vox alit plenius
“Live speech nourishes more abundantly,” that is, what is orally stated is more successfully absorbed than what is written

You will probably be surprised when you notice how many Latin words you already know. Hundreds of words, such as memo, alibi, agenda, census, veto, alias, via, alumni, affidavit and versus, used in English language as abbreviations, for example: i.e. (id est, that is) and etc. (et cetera, and the rest). Some Latin phrases are so firmly rooted in English and Russian that we use them without even thinking that they are borrowed: bona fide(in good faith - conscientious) , alter ego(other self - another me), persona nongrata(unwelcome person - an unwanted person), vice versa(position turned - vice versa), carpe diem(seize the day - seize the moment, enjoy the day) cum laude(with praise - with honor), alma mater(nourishing mother - nursing mother) and quid pro quo(this for that - something for this). Many languages ​​have adopted other, less banal, phrases from Latin. Memorize them and use them whenever possible.

1. AURIBUS TENEO LUPUM

The literal translation is "I hold the wolf by the ears." The proverb is taken from the work "Formion" by the Roman playwright Terentius. It means "to be in a hopeless situation", "between two fires". The English equivalent is "Holding a tiger by the tail" (hold the tiger by the tail).

2. BARBA NON FACIT PHILOSOPHUM

"A beard does not make you a philosopher", "having a beard does not mean that you are a philosopher." The Romans were very fond of associating a beard with intellect. For example, " Barba crescit, caput nescit"(the beard has grown, but there is no mind).

3. BRUTUM FULMEN

Apparently, this aphorism was invented by Pliny the Elder. Expression " Brutum fullmen" literally translated means "senseless lightning", that is, empty threats.

4. CAESAR NON SUPRA GRAMMATICOS

The phrase was born when one of the Roman emperors made a language mistake in his public speech. When this oversight was pointed out to him, the emperor angrily declared that since he was the emperor, from that moment on, this mistake would not be considered a mistake, but the norm. To which one of the council members replied: Caesar non supra grammaticos", or "The Emperor is not above the grammarians" (and Caesar is not above the grammarians). This phrase has become a popular saying that has come to be used in defense of grammar.

5. CARPE NOCTEM

It is a "night" analogue of the expression " Carpe diem" and translates as "enjoy the night". This phrase can be used to motivate someone (including yourself) to finish all the tasks during the day, and leave the evening for rest.

6. CARTHAGO DELENDA EST

At the height of the Punic Wars (wars between Rome and Carthage, 264–146 BC), the Roman statesman Cato the Elder ended all his speeches in the Senate (regardless of their subject matter) with the phrase " Carthago delenda est, or "Carthage must be destroyed" (Carthage must be destroyed). His words quickly became a popular motto in ancient Rome. The phrase means an urgent call to fight an enemy or obstacle.

7. CASTIGAT RIDENDO MORES

Literally translated, it means "mores are scourged with laughter." This motto was coined by a French poet who believed that in order to change the rules, you need to show how absurd they are.

8. CORVUS OCULUM CORVI NON ERUIT

"A raven will not peck out a crow's eye." Aphorism means the existence of common interests (often selfish) between people who do not betray each other and act together.

9. CUI BONO?

Literal translation: “who benefits from this?”, “in whose interests is this?”. A question that often helps to establish who is the perpetrator of a crime. In general, in English, this phrase is used to question the benefits of any action.

Cui prodest scelus Is fecit. Seneca "Medea" To whom villainy is useful, He committed it. Translation by S. Solovyov

10. ET IN ARCADIA EGO

Arcadia was a region in ancient Greece whose inhabitants were mostly shepherds and farmers. They led a calm and measured life away from the hustle and bustle. Latin saying " Et in Arcadia ego" literally translated as "and in Arcadia I am." The painting by the French artist Nicolas Poussin "The Arcadian Shepherds" depicts four shepherds looking at an old tombstone engraved with this Latin saying. "I" in this expression is considered as death, which reminds mortals that even in the most quiet, happy and carefree place, people will face an inevitable end.

11. EX NIHILO NIHIL FIT

Presumably, this statement belongs to the Roman philosopher Lucretius and is translated into Russian as "nothing comes from nothing." This phrase is used as a reminder that any work a person performs in order to achieve something.

12. FELIX CULPA

It was originally a religious term referring to the biblical fall of Adam and Eve. " Felix culpa»(literally translated “happy guilt”) means a mistake that subsequently had a favorable outcome.

13. HANNIBAL AD PORTAS

Hannibal was a Carthaginian commander who waged a life-and-death war with the Roman Empire. In Russian, the expression " Hannibal ad Portas" literally translated as "Hannibal at the gates", i.e. "the enemy at the gates". Among the Romans, the image of Hannibal subsequently became something of a scarecrow, and parents often said to their naughty children the phrase " Hannibal ad Portas" to scare them a little and make them behave properly.

14. HIC MANEBIMUS OPTIME

When in 390 BC. e. the Gauls invaded Rome, the senate met to discuss whether to leave the city and flee in search of a safe haven. According to the Roman historian Livy, a centurion named Marcus Furius Camillus, addressing the senate, exclaimed: Hic manebimus optime!"(literally, “we will live wonderfully here”). His words soon began to be used figuratively to express an unshakable determination to stand his ground, despite all difficulties.

15. HOMO SUM HUMANI A ME NIHIL ALIENUM PUTO

“I am a man and I believe that nothing human is alien to me” - This is a phrase from the work of the Roman writer Terentius. In Terence, this phrase has a certain ironic connotation: in a conversation between two neighbors, one reproaches the other for interfering in other people's affairs and gossip, to which the other objects: “I am a man, and nothing human is alien to me.” Since then, the phrase has become practically a motto and can be used, for example, to emphasize that the speaker, like everyone else, is not a stranger. human weaknesses and delusions. And also this phrase can mean respect for people of other cultures.

16. IGNOTUM PER IGNOTIUS

An analogue of the phrase " Obscurum per obscurius"(the obscure by the more obscure - to explain the obscure even more obscure). Phrase " Ignotum per ignotius"(the unknown by the more unknown - to explain the unknown to even more unknown) refers to useless explanations that, instead of helping a person to understand the meaning, further confuse him.

17. IMPERIUM IN IMPERIO

Means « an empire within an empire » - "an empire within an empire", "a state within a state". In a literal sense, it can mean that a certain structure (state, city, etc.) is located on the territory of another, larger structure, but legally it is autonomous. Allegorically, this is an association of people living in their own way. special laws which differ from the generally accepted ones.

18. PANEM ET CIRCENSES

It translates into Russian as "bread and circuses." Means the basic need (food) and one of the main desires of a person (entertainment). The Roman satirist Juvenal contrasted these aspirations with a heroic past:

This people has long forgotten all worries, and Rome, which once distributed Everything: legions, and power, and bunches of lictors, Is now restrained and restlessly dreams of only two things: Bread and circuses! Juvenal "Satires". Book four. Satire tenth. Translation by F. A. Petrovsky

19. VELOCIUS QUAM ASPARAGI COQUANTUR

When something had to happen quickly, the Romans said: "Faster than a bunch of asparagus is cooked." Some sources attribute this phrase to the Roman emperor Augustus, but, unfortunately, there is no evidence that this is the case.

20. VOX NIHILI

While the phrase " Vox populi» means "voice of the people", the phrase " Vox Nihili" means "empty sound". This phrase can be used to refer to a nonsensical statement.

Based on the

What interesting Latin expressions are familiar to you? Share them in the comments.