Latin proverbs: wisdom from ancient to modern times
By Waldo E. Sweet
Famous Latin
Quotations
Ipsa scientia potestas est. ~ Knowledge itself is power.----Bacon
Gutta cavat lapidem. ~ Dripping hollows out rock.----Ovid
In virtute sunt multi ascensus. ~ In excellence there are many degrees.---Cicero
Aspirat primo Fortuna labori. ~ Fortune smiles upon our first effort.----Virgil
Ab ovo usque ad mala. ~ From the egg right to the fruits.(From soup to
nuts.)----Horace
Excitabat fluctus in simpulo. ~ He was stirring up billows in a ladle.(He was
raising a tempest in a teapot.)----Cicero
Nullum saeculum magnis ingeniis clausum est. ~ To great talents no era is
closed.----Seneca
Saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas. ~ Often the prickly thorn produces
tender roses.----Ovid
Medici graviores morbos asperis remediis curant. ~ Doctors cure the more
serious diseases with harsh remedies.----Curtius Rufus
Num barbarorum Romulus rex fuit? ~ Romulus was not a king of
barbarians, was he?----Cicero
Divina natura dedit agros, ars humana aedificavit urbes. ~ The divine
nature produced the fields, human skill has built cities.----Tibullus
Colossus magnitudinem suam servabit etiam si steterit in puteo. ~ A giant
will keep his size even though he will have stood in a well.----Seneca
Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit. ~ He who is not prepared today
will be less so tomorrow.----Ovid
Ora et labora. ~ Pray and labor.----St.Benedict
Otium sine litteris mors est et hominis vivi sepultra. ~ Leisure without
literature is death, or rather the burial of a living man.----Seneca
Materiam superabat opus. ~ The workmanship was better than the subject
matter.----Ovid
O praeclarum custodem ovium lupum! ~ An excellent protector of sheep,
the wolf!----Cicero
Tarditas et procrastinatio odiosa est. ~ Delay--putting things off until
tomorrow--is hateful.----Cicero
Quos amor verus tenuit, tenebit. ~ Those whom true love has held, it will
go on holding.----Seneca
Patria est communis omnium parens. ~ Our native land is the common
parent of us all.----Cicero
Amor tussisque non celantur. ~ Love, and a cough, are not concealed.---Ovid
A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper. ~ A boar is often held by a not-solarge dog.----Ovid
Non est ad astra mollis e terris via. ~ There is no easy way from the earth to
the stars.----Seneca
Etiam capillus unus habet umbram. ~ Even one hair has a shadow.---Publilius Syrus
Culpam poena premit comes. ~ Punishment closely follows crime as its
companion.----Horace
Trahimur omnes laudis studio. ~ We are all led by our eagerness for
praise.----Cicero
Gladiator in arena consilium capit. ~ The gladiator is making his plan in the
arena(i.e., too late).----Seneca
Rident stolidi verba Latina. ~ Fools laugh at the Latin language.----Ovid
Inhumanitas omni aetate molesta est. ~ Inhumanity is harmful in every
age.----Cicero
Vos vestros servate, meos mihi linquite mores. ~ You cling to your own
ways and leave mine to me.----Petrarch
Non omnes qui habent citharam sunt citharoedi. ~ Not all those who own a
musical instrument are musicians.----Varro
Quid rides?...De te fabula narratur. ~ What are you laughing at? The joke's
on you.----Horace
Ut sementem feceris ita metes. ~ As you sow so will you reap.----Cicero
Dente lupus, cornu taurus petit. ~ The wolf attacks with his fang, the bull
with his horn.----Horace
Non est ars quae ad effectum casu venit. ~ That which achieves its effect
by accident is not art.----Seneca
Fallaces sunt rerum species. ~ The appearances of things are deceptive.---Seneca
Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes. ~ It is foolish to fear that which
you cannot avoid.----Publilius Syrus
Risu inepto res ineptior nulla est. ~ There is nothing more foolish than a
foolish laugh.----Catullus
Simia quam similis, turpissima bestia, nobis! ~ How like us is that very ugly
beast the monkey!----Cicero
Bonitas non est pessimis esse meliorem. ~ It is not goodness to be better
than the worst.----Seneca
Canis timidus vehementius latrat quam mordet. ~ A timid dog barks more
violently than it bites.----Curtius Rufus
Diligentia maximum etiam mediocris ingeni subsidium. ~ Diligence is a
very great help even to a mediocre intelligence.----Seneca
Aliena nobis, nostra plus aliis placent. ~ Other people's things are more
pleasing to us, and ours to other people.----Publilius Syrus
Aliquando et insanire iucundum est. ~ It is sometimes pleasant even to act
like a madman.----Seneca
Credula vitam spes fovet et melius cras fore semper dicit. ~ Credulous
hope supports our life, and always says that tomorrow will be better.---Tibullus
In alio pediculum, in te ricinum non vides. ~ You see a louse on someone
else, but not a tick on yourself.----Petronius
Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus interpres. ~ As a true translator
you will take care not to translate word for word.----Horace
Quam se ipse amans---sine rivali! ~ Himself loving himself so much--without a rival!----Cicero
Facilius per partes in cognitionem totius adducimur. ~ We are more easily
led part by part to an understanding of the whole.----Seneca
Qui dedit beneficium taceat; narret qui accepit. ~ Let him who has given a
favor be silent; let him who has received it tell it.----Seneca
Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus. ~ We are slaves of the laws in
order that we may be able to be free.----Cicero
Exigo a me non ut optimis par sim, sed ut malis melior. ~ I require myself
not to be equal to the best, but to be better than the bad.----Seneca
Sedit qui timuit ne non succederet. ~ He who feared he would not succeed
sat still. (For fear of failure, he did nothing.)----Horace
Saepe ne utile quidem est scire quid futurum sit. ~ Often it is not even
advantageous to know what will be.----Cicero
Nullus est liber tam malus ut non aliqua parte prosit. ~ There is no book so
bad that it is not profitable on some part.----Pliny the Younger
Difficile est tenere quae acceperis nisi exerceas. ~ It is difficult to retain
what you may have learned unless you should practice it.----Pliny the
Younger
Struit insidias lacrimis cum femina plorat. ~ When a woman weeps, she is
setting traps with her tears.----Dionysius Cato
Praeceptores suos adulescens veneratur et suspicit. ~ A young man
respects and looks up to his teachers.----Seneca
Amoto quaeramus seria ludo. ~ Joking aside, let us turn to serious
matters.----Horace
Potest ex casa magnus vir exire. ~ A great man can come from a cabin.
----Seneca
Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. ~ Be patient and tough; some
day this pain will be useful to you.----Ovid
Cito fit quod dii volunt. ~ What the gods want happens soon.----Petronius
Omnia iam fient fieri quae posse negabam. ~ Everything which I used to
say could not happen will happen now.----Ovid
Mendacem oportet esse memorem. ~ A liar must be good at
remembering.----Quintilian
Leve fit, quod bene fertur, onus. ~ The burden which is borne well becomes
light.----Ovid
Mus uni non fidit antro. ~ A mouse does not rely on just one hole.---Plautus
Quaedam iura non scripta sed omnibus scriptis certiora sunt. ~ Some laws
are unwritten but they are better established than all written ones.---Seneca Rhetor
Vitanda est improba siren desidia. ~ One must steer clear of the wicked
temptress, Laziness.----Horace
Timendi causa est nescire. ~ Ignorance is the cause of fear.----Seneca
Nil actum reputa si quid superest agendum. ~ Don't consider that anything
has been done if anything is left to be done.----Lucan
