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

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

Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit. ~ There has not been any great talent without an element of madness.----Seneca

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-so-large 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

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

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

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

Libenter homines id quod volunt credunt. ~ Men gladly believe that which they wish for.----Caesar

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