Original Source

Latin Quotes

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

It is both dutiful and honourable to die for one's country

Nascor esse ferox

Born to be wild

Huc accedis zambonis

Here comes the zamboni

Furnullum pani nollo

I don't want a toaster

Caveat emptor

Buyer beware

Caveat vendor

Seller beware

Nullum gratuitum prandium

No free lunch

Facta non verba

Deeds not words

Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant

Hail, Caesar; we who are about to die salute you

(Salutation of the gladiators on entering the arena).

Quo vadis?

Whither goest thou?

Ars gratia artis

Art for the sake of art

Nulli secundus

Second to none

Caveat gratuitum prandium

Beware the free lunch

A mari usque ad mare

From sea to sea (motto of Canada)

Quod incepimus conficiemus

What we have begun we shall finish

Lux et veritas

Light and Truth (Yale University)

Fiat lux

Let there be light

Nemo timendo ad summum pervenit locum

No man by fearing reaches the top (Syrus)

Tempus fugit

Time flies

Veni, Vidi, Vici

I came, I saw, I conquered. (Julius Caesar)

Audendum dextra; nunc ipsa vocat res

The hand must dare: now the occasion itself calls (Vergil)

Mens sana in corpore sano

A sound mind in a sound body

Malum est consilium quod mutari non potest

It's an ill plan that can't be changed (Syrus)

Serva me, servabo te

Guard me, I'll guard you. (Petronius)

Aut vincere aut mori

Either to conquer or to die

Omnes aequo animo parent ubi digni imperant

All men cheerfully obey where worthy men rule (Syrus)

Verba volent, scripta manent

Words fly, writing remains

Imperat aut servit collecta pecunia cuique

Money stored up is for each man his master or his slave (Horace)

Experientia docet

Experience is the best teacher

Nihil aliud scit necessitas quam vincere

Necesssity knows nothing else but victory (Syrus)

Transit umbra, lux permanet

Shadow passes, light remains (On a sun dial)

Quid rides? Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur

Why do you laugh? Just change the name and the tale is told of you. (Horace)

Palmam qui meruit ferat

Let him who has earned it bear the reward.

Qui omnes insidias timet in nullas incidit

He who fears every ambush falls into none (Pubilius Syrus)

Cotidie damnatur qui semper timet

The man who is constantly in fear is every day condemned (Syrus)

Regnat non regitur qui nihil nisi quod vult facit.

He is a king and not a subject who does only what he wishes (Syrus)

Per ardua ad astra

Through bolts and bars we reach the stars (RCAF)

Ab ovo usque ad mala

From the egg to the apples, from soup to nuts, from A to Z

Senatus populusque Romanus, S.P.Q.R.

The senate and people of Rome

Arma virumque cano

Of arms and the man I sing (Vergil)

Quo fas et gloria docunt

Where right and glory lead

Diem perdidi

I have lost a day (Emperor Titus)

Homo vitae commodatus non donatus est

Man has been lent to life, not given (Pubilius Syrus)

Bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria

He conquers twice who in the hour of conquest conquers himself (Syrus)

Bis interimitur qui suis armis perit

He is doubly destroyed who perishes by his own arms (Syrus)

Mille trahens varios adverso sole colores

Trailing a thousand changing colours athwart the sun (Vergil)

O matre puchra filia pulchrior

O daughter fairer than a mother fair (Horace)

Dulcis et alta quies placidaeque similima morti

Sleep sweet and deep, most like to quiet death (Vergil)

Fortiter Fideliter Forsan Feliciter

Bravely, faithfully, perhaps successfully

Munit haec et altera vincit

This one defends and the other conquers (Motto of Nova Scotia)

Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas

Happy is he who has been able to learn the causes of things (Vergil)

Non sibi sed suis

Not for one's self but for one's people (Tulane University)

Vita et pectore puro

By blamelessness of life and heart (Horace)

Et penitus toto regnantes orbe Britannos

And the Britons ruling throughout the whole world (Barbados)

Non sibi set patrie

Not for oneself but for fatherland

Amicitiae nostrae memoriam spero sempiternam fore

I hope that the memory of our friendship will be everlasting (Cicero)

Perpetuo vincit qui utitur clementia

He is forever victor who employs clemency (Syrus)

Gaudeamus igitur iuvenes dum sumus

Let us rejoice, then, while we are young

Amor doctrinae floreat

Let the love of learning flourish

Parva sub ingenti

The small under the large (Motto of Prince Edward Island)

Deus vult

God wills it

Quaerite prime regnum Dei

Seek ye first the kingdom of God (Motto of Newfoundland)

Paucorum est intellegere quid donet Deus

It is granted to few to comprehend what God gives (Syrus)

Ut incepit fidelis, sic permanet

Faithful it began, faithful it remains (Motto of Ontario)

Commercia piratis expulsis restituta

The pirates were driven out and commerce restored (Motto of Bahamas)

Communi consilio

By common consent

Pax hominibus bonae voluntatis

Peace to man of good will

.. stellae sponte sua iussaene vagentur et errent ..

.. whether stars roam at large of their own will or by law ... (Horace)

Sic itur ad astra

Such is the path to the stars (Vergil)




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