ANGULUS LATINUM
''THE LATIN CORNER''
Here I have gathered my favorite Latin phrases for all of you to enjoy. Some classics, some new and some which I don't know what to call.
MATER MEMENTO MORI
Remeber your mortality.
NUNC EST BIBENDUM
Now it's time to drink.
QUI ME AMAT, AMAT ET CANEM MEAM
Love me, love my dog.
DOCENDO DISCIMUS
We learn by teaching.
SCIENTIA EST POTENTIA
Knowledge is power.
SI HOC NON LEGERE POTES TU ASINUS ES
If you can't read this, you're an ass. (asinus also means "idiot")
TUA MATER TAM ANTIQUIOR UT LINGUAM LATINE LOQUATUR
Your mother is so old she speaks Latin
VENI VIDI DUCI
I came, I saw, I calculated
The inscription on the Fields Medal:
TRANSIRE SUUM PECTUS MUNDOQUE POTIRI
to overcome one's human limitations and become master of the universe
ERRARE HUMANUM EST
To err is human
MONSTRA MIHI PECUNIAM
Show me the money.
LUKE SUM IPSE PATREM TE
Luke, I am your father.
POTESTATEM OBSCURI LATERIS NESCIS
You don't know the power of the dark side.
SIT VIS VOBISCUM
May the Force be with you.
IRE FORTITER QUO NEMO ANTE IIT
To boldly go where no man has gone before.
MAGNUS FRATER SPECTAT TE
Big Brother is watching you.
CREDO ELVEM IPSUM ETAIM VIVERE
I think Elvis is still alive.
SANCTA SIMPLICITAS
O holy simplicity / O holy ignorance (choose the one you like best)
FUTUE TE ET IPSUM CABALLUM
Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.
The beginning of Catullus 16:
PEDICABO EGO VOS ET IRRUMABO
I will fuck you in the ass, and have you give me some good head.
IMPUDENS ES LENO
Bastard! (really "You shameless pimp" and it's a real insult)
SPUCATUM TAURI
bull shit
PERITE
Fuck off! (really "go through (to the netherworld)")
ORCAE ITA
Pretty straightforward
DUCO ERGO SUM
I calculate therefore I am
CAVE CANEM
Beware of the dog
MORS ULTIMA RATIO
Death is the final accounting
QUINON PROFICIT DEFICIT
He who does not advance, go backwards.
IN VINO VERITAS
In wine is truth.
NE QUID NIMIS
Moderation in all things.
REQUIESCAT IN PACE
Rest in peace.
PAX VOBISCUM
Peace be with you.
CARPE DIEM QUAM MINIMUM CREDULA POSTERO
Sieze the day, put no trust in tomorrow.
NOMINA STULTORUM PARIETIBUS HOERENT
The names of fools are seen upon the walls.
BELUA MULTORUM ES CAPITUM
The people are a many-headed beast.
TANTA STULTITIA MORTALIUM EST
What fools these mortals be.
VAE VICTIS
Woe to the conquered!
QUANDO OMNI FLUNKUS MORITATUS
When all else fails play dead.
NIL ILLEGITIMUS CARBORUNDUM
Don't let the bastards get you down.
CATAPULTAM HABEO. NISI PECUNIAM OMNEM MIHI DABIS, AD CAPUT TUUM SAXUM IMMANE MITTAM
I have a catapult. Give me all the money, or I will fling an enormous rock at your head.
CONFACIMUS NAVEGEMUS
Fuck it -- let's go sailing.
NON RAPE ME SI PLACET
Please don't rob me.
MEI CAPILLI SUNT FLAGRANTES
My hair is on fire
SUNTNE VACCI LAETI
Are your cows happy?
SI MINOR PLUS EST ERGO NIHIL SUNT OMNIA
If less is more, then nothing is everything.
TU STUPIDUS ES
You are dumb.
MEUM CEREBRUM NOCET
My brain hurts.
CRAPULAM TERRIBLEM HABEO
I have a terrible hangover.
VITA CONTIN GIT. VIVE COM EO
Life happens. Live with it.
SUPPEDISNE
Did you fart quietly?
TUA TOGA SUSPINA EST
Your toga is backwards
CUR ETIAM HIC ES
Why are you still here?
HOMINES QUOD VOLUNT CREDUNT
Men believe what they want to.
UBI FUMUS IBI IGNIS
Where there's smoke, there's fire
ALEA IACTA EST
The die has been cast.
EXIGI MONUMENTUM AERE PERENNIUS
I have erected a monument more lasting than bronze. (Horace)
NOVUS ORDO SAECULORUM
A new order of ages.
FIAT LUX
Let there be light.
QUI TACET CONSENTIT
He who is silent agrees.
NULLUM GRATUITUM PRANDIUM
There is no free lunch.
HOMO HOMINI LUPUS
A man to a man is like a wolf.
HIC PUER EST STULTISSIMUS OMNIUM
This boy is the stupidest of all!
Vergil, Aeinid II.49
QUIDQUID ID EST, TIMEO DANAOS ET DONA FERENTES.
Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even bearing gifts.
QUIDUID ID ESET TIMEO PUELLAS ET OSCULA DANTES
Whatever it is, I fear the girls, even when they kiss.
VIR SAPIT QUI PAUCA LOQUITOR
It is a wise man who speaks little
Quintilian Istitutio Oratia, III
STUDIUM DISCENDI VOLUTATE QUAE COGI NON POTEST CONSTAT
Study depends on the good will of the student, a quality which cannot be secured by compulsion.
REPETITIO EST MATER STUDIORUM
Repetition is the mother of studies.
Richard de BuryPhilobiblion, I, 9:
POSTREMO PENSANDUM
QUANTA DOCTRINAE COMMODITAS SIT IN LIBRIS
QUAM FACILIS, QUAM ARCANA!
QUAM TUTO LIBRIS HUMANAE IGNORANTIA PAUPERTATEM
SINE VERECUNDIA DENUDAMUS!
HI SUNT MAGISTRI QUI NOS INSTRUUNT
SINE VIRGIS ET FERULA,
SINE VERBIS ET CHOLERA, SINE PANNIS ET PECUNIA.
SI ACCEDIS, NON DORMIUNT;
SI INQUIRENS INTERROGAS, NON ABSCONDUNT;
NON REMURMURANT SI OBERRES;
CACHINNOS NESCIUNT, SI IGNORES
And finally, one must consider how great the ease of learning
there is in books, how yeilding, how trusty!
How safely we reveal, without shyness, in the face of our books
the poverty of our human ignorance!
They are teachers who instruct us without switches or rods,
without slaps or anger, without notice of rags or riches.
If you approach them, they are not asleep;
If you ask a question, they do not hide;
They do not mutter at you if you make a mistake;
When you are ignorant, they do not know how to laugh at you.
VAH! DENUONE LATINE LOQUEBAR? ME INEPTUM. INTERDUM MODO ELABITUR.
Oh! Was I speaking Latin again? Silly me. Sometimes it just sort of slips pout.
FELES MALA! CUR CISTA NON UTERIS? STRAMENTUM NOVUM IN EA POSUI.
Bad kitty! Why don't you use the cat box? I put new litter in it.
(at a barbeque)
ANIMADVERTISTINE, UBICUMQUE STES, FUMUM RECTA IN FACIEM FERRI?
Ever noticed how wherever you stand, the smoke goes right into your face?
HOCINE BIBO AUT IN EUM DIGITOS INSERO?
Do I drink this or stick my fingers in it?
IMUS AD MAGUM OZI VIDENDUM, MAGUM OZI MIRUM MIRISSIMUM.
We are going to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz.
SOLUM POTESTIS PROHIBERE IGNES SILVARUM
Only you can prevent forest fires.
CLAMO, CLAMATIS, OMNES CLAMAMUS PRO GLACE LACTIS
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
HABETIS BONA DEUM
Have a nice day.
VACCA STULTA
Stupid cow
UTINAM LOGICA FALSA TUAM PHILOSOPHIAM TOTAL SUFFODIANT!
May faulty logic undermine your entire philosophy!
RECIDITE, PLEBES! GERO REM IMPERIALEM!
Stand aside plebians! I am on imperial business.
UTINAM BARBARI SPATIUM PROSPRIUM TUUM INVADANT!
May barbarians invade your personal space!
MACDONALDUS SENEX FUNDUM HABET. E-I-E-I-O. ET IN HOC FUNDO, NONNULLAS BOVES DOMESTICAS HABET. E-I-E-I-O. CUM MOO MOO HIC, CUM MOO MOO IBI. HIC UNA MOO, IBI UNA MOO, UBIQUE UNA MOO MOO. MACDONALDUS SENEX FUNDUM HABET. E-I-E-I-O.
Old MacDonald has a farm. E-I-E-I-O. And on this farm, he has some cows. E-I-E-I-O. With a moo moo here, with a moo moo there. Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo. Old MacDonald has a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
UBI SUNT PORCI QUOQUOMODO?
Where are the pigs already?
DEMUM VENIUNT PORCI.
At last, here come the pigs.
QUISQUE COMOEDUM EST.
Everybody is a comedian.
NON PLAUDITE. MODO PECUNIAM JACITE.
Don't applaud. Just throw money.
PLUS! PERGE! AIO! HUI! HEM!
More! Go on! Yes! Ooh! Ummm!
SPERO NOS FAMILIARES MANSUROS.
I hope we'll still be friends.
TE PRECOR DUNCISSIME SUPPLEX!
Pretty please with cherry on top!
MAGISTER MUNDI SUM!
I am the Master of the Universe!
FACME COCLEARIO VOMERE!
Gag me with a spoon!
VESCERE BRACIS MEIS!
Eat my shorts!
DI! ECCE HORA! UXOR MEA ME NECABIT!
God, look at the time! My wife will kill me!
ESTNE VOLUMEN IN TOGA, AN SOLUM TIBI LIBET ME VIDERE?
Is that a scroll in your toga, or are you just glad to see me?
CUM CATAPULTAE PROSCRIPTAE ERUNT TUM SOLI PROSCRIPT CATAPULTAS HABEBUNT.
When catapults are outlawed, only outlaws will have catapults.
PURGAMENTUM INIT, EXIT PURGAMENTUM
Garbage in, garbage out.
TE AUDIRE NO POSSUM. MUSA SAPIENTUM FIXA EST IN AURE.
I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear.
SENTIO ALIQUOS TOGATOS CONTRA ME CONSPIRARE.
I think some people in togas are plotting against me.
ANTIQUIS TEMPORIBUS, NATI TIBI SIMILES IN RUPIBUS VENTOSISSIMIS EXPONEBANTUR AD NECEM.
In the good old days, children like you were left to perish on windswept crags.
CAESAR SI VIVERET, AD REMUM DARERIS.
If Ceasar were alive, you'd be chained to an oar.
QUANTUM MATERIAE MATERIETUR MARMOTA MONAX SI MARMOTA MONAX MATERIAM POSSIT MATERIARI?
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
DUCATOR MEUS NIHIL AGIT SINE LAGUNCULAE LEYNIDAE ACCEDUNT.
My calculator does not work without batteries.
NIHIL CURO DE ISTA TUA STULTA SUPERSTITIONE.
I'm not interested in your dopey religious cult.
ROMANI QUIDEM ARTEM AMATORIAM INVENERUNT.
You know, the Romans invented the art of love.
NEUTIQUAM ERRO.
I am not lost.
OLIM HABEAS EORUM PECUNIAM, NUMQUAM EAM REDDIS: PRIMA REGULA QUAESITUS.
Once you have their money, you never give it back: the 1st Rule of Acquisiton.
MAIOR RISUS, ACRIOR ENSIS: QUADRAGESIMA OCTAVA REGULA QUAESITUS.
The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife: the 48th Rule of Acquisition
NEMO SALTAT SOBRIUS NISI FORTE INSANIT.
Nobody dances sober unless he's insane.
FRUSTRA LABORANT QUOTQUOT SE CALCULATIONIBUS FATIGANT PRO INVENTIONE QUADRATURAE CIRCULI.
Futile is the labor of those who fatigue themselves with calculations to square the circle. (Michael Stifel, 1544)
Any questions? Ask the Oracle.
I've recieved a couple of questions about Latin, and as the Latin novice I am, I had to forward them to Fredrik Fischer, who is much better at it than I am. So to make the chain one link shorter it's better to ask him directly. Fredrik is just happy to answer as it helps him keeping his Latin in shape.
Thanks to all of you who have contibuted, in particular Fredrik Fischer and Grace Lim.
Magnus Karlsson <emax@innocent.com>
Last modified: Sun Jun 18 21:34:58 CEST 2000