Home > List of Latin proverbs
The following is a partial list of Latin and Roman proverbs and sayings, in alphabetical order, with English translations.
For shorter phrases, see: List of Latin phrases.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z __NOTOC__
__NOTOC__
1 A
- A mari usque ad mare "From sea to sea," motto of Canada.
- Ab esse ad posse "From being to knowing" from the existence of things one can make sure of their possibilities. See also: a posse ad esse non valet consequentia
- Ab Iove principium "Let's start with the most important [Jupiter]."
- Absentem laedit, qui cum ebrio litigat "He who quarrels with a drunk hurts an absentee."
- Abusus non tollit usum "Abuse is no argument against proper use", legal phrase meaning that just because something can be abused there is no reason for putting an end to its legitimate use
- Acta est fabula "What happened is a fable," or "The fable is ended" ( Augustus' last words)
- Ad astra "To the stars," title of the magazine published by the National Space Society.
- Ad astra per aspera "To the stars through difficulties," motto of Kansas. (More frequently as per aspera ad astra.)
- A Deo rex, a rege lex "Of God the King, of the King the law". Attributed to James I of England
- Ad impossibilia nemo tenetur "Nobody must keep a commitment to do impossible things.".
- Adde parvum parvo manus acervus erit. "Add little to little and there will be a big pile" Ovid.
- Aegroto dum anima est, spes est "As long as a sick person is conscious (or, has a good character, or reacts), there is still hope."
- Age quod agis - "Do what you do", in the sense of "Do well what you do", "Do well in whatever you do" or "Be serious in what you do"
- Alea iacta est - see Iacta alea est.
- Alii bella gerunt, tu felix Austria nube. "Others may lead wars, you, happy Austria, marry." Referring to Austria's cunning policy in early modern times to marry into all important royal houses.
- Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur. "A true friend is discerned during an uncertain matter" ( Cicero)
- Amor patriae nostra lex "Love of the fatherland is our law."
- Amor vincit omnia "Love conquers all." (See Omnia vincit amor).
- Amore, more, ore, re (with) "love, behaviour, words, actions"
- A posse ad esse non valet consequentia "From a thing's possibility one cannot be certain of its reality" See also: ab esse ad posse
- Aquila non capit muscas "An eagle doesn't hunt flies"
- Aquiris quodcumque rapis "You acquire what you reap (or take by force)"
- Ars est celare artem "Art is to conceal art"
- Ars gratia artis "Art for art's sake," motto of Metro Goldwin Mayer.
- Ars longa, vita brevis. "Art is long, life is short." The Latin translation by Horace of a phrase from Hippocrates, often used out of context. The art referred to in the original aphorism was the craft of medicine, which took a lifetime to acquire.
- Audaces fortuna iuvat "Luck helps those who're brave." ( Virgil, Ζneis 10,284)
- Audi, vide, tace, si tu vis vivere. "Hear, see, be silent, if you wish to live."
- Audi alteram partemAudi alteram partem (or Audiatur et altera pars is a Latin phrase that means, literally, hear the other side or hear both sides. It stands for the principle that no one should be condemned without a hearing in which they are given the opportunity to respo "Hear the other side" (a legal fairness principle).
- Audiatur et altera pars "Hear both sides."
- Aurora musis amica est "Dawn is a friend of muses"
2 B
- Beati pauperes spiritu "Lucky are those of a poor spirit" ( VulgateThe Vulgate Bible is an early 5th century translation of the Bible into Latin made by St. Jerome on the orders of Pope Damasus I. It takes its name from the phrase vulgata editio "the edition for the people" (cf. Vulgar Latin), and was written in an every, MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew is one of the four Gospels of the New Testament. The gospels are traditionally printed with Matthew first, followed in order by Mark, Luke and John. Synopsis The book is divided into four parts: # Containing the genealogy, the birth, 3:5)
- Beatus, qui prodest, quibus potest. "He is lucky who helps everyone he can." or, very differently, "He is lucky the one who gets an advantage from those on which he has some power."
- Bene diagnoscitur, bene curatur. "Something that is well diagnosed can be cured well."
- Bene vixit qui bene latuit "He lives well who lives unnoticed" ( Ovid)
- Bis dat, qui cito dat. "He who gives quickly gives twice." ( Publilius SyrusPublilius (less correctly Publius Syrus a Latin writer of mimes, flourished in the 1st century BC. He was a native of Syria and was brought as a slave to Italy, but by his wit and talent he won the favour of his master, who freed and educated him. His mim)
- Bis repetita non placent "Repetitions are not well received." ( Horace, Ars Poetica 365)
- Bona diagnosis, bona curatio. "Good diagnosis, good cure."
- Bona valetudo melior est quam maximae divitiae. "Good health is worth more than the greatest wealth."
- Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere. "A good shepherd shears his sheep, he doesn't flay them" ( TiberiusTiberius Claudius Nero Caesar ( November 16, 42 BC March 16, AD 37) was the second Roman emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from AD 14 until his death. Tiberius was by birth a Claudianson of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Liviaand was the adopted to his regional commanders) i.e. don't tax the populace excessively
