Satellite & DeLaura: Famous Latin Quotations

A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper.
A boar is often held by a not-so-large dog.----Ovid

Ab ovo usque ad mala.
From the egg right to the fruits.(From soup to nuts.)----Horace

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

Amor tussisque non celantur.
Love, and a cough, are not concealed.----Ovid

Amoto quaeramus seria ludo.
Joking aside, let us turn to serious matters.----Horace

Aspirat primo Fortuna labori.
Fortune smiles upon our first effort.----Virgil

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

Cito fit quod dii volunt.
What the gods want happens soon.----Petronius

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

Credula vitam spes fovet et melius cras fore semper dicit.
Credulous hope supports our life, and always says that tomorrow will be better.----Tibullus

Culpam poena premit comes.
Punishment closely follows crime as its companion.----Horace

Dente lupus, cornu taurus petit.
The wolf attacks with his fang, the bull with his horn.----Horace

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

Diligentia maximum etiam mediocris ingeni subsidium.
Diligence is a very great help even to a mediocre intelligence.----Seneca

Divina natura dedit agros, ars humana aedificavit urbes.
The divine nature produced the fields, human skill has built cities.----Tibullus

Etiam capillus unus habet umbram.
Even one hair has a shadow.----Publilius Syrus

Excitabat fluctus in simpulo.
He was stirring up billows in a ladle.(He was raising a tempest in a teapot.)----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

Facilius per partes in cognitionem totius adducimur.
We are more easily led part by part to an understanding of the whole.----Seneca

Fallaces sunt rerum species.
The appearances of things are deceptive.----Seneca

Gladiator in arena consilium capit.
The gladiator is making his plan in the arena(i.e., too late).----Seneca

Gutta cavat lapidem.
Dripping hollows out rock.----Ovid

In alio pediculum, in te ricinum non vides.
You see a louse on someone else, but not a tick on yourself.----Petronius

In virtute sunt multi ascensus.
In excellence there are many degrees.----Cicero

Inhumanitas omni aetate molesta est.
Inhumanity is harmful in every age.----Cicero

Ipsa scientia potestas est.
Knowledge itself is power.----Bacon

Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus.
We are slaves of the laws in order that we may be able to be free.----Cicero

Leve fit, quod bene fertur, onus.
The burden which is borne well becomes light.----Ovid

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

Materiam superabat opus.
The workmanship was better than the subject matter.----Ovid

Medici graviores morbos asperis remediis curant.
Doctors cure the more serious diseases with harsh remedies.----Curtius Rufus

Mendacem oportet esse memorem.
A liar must be good at remembering.----Quintilian

Mus uni non fidit antro.
A mouse does not rely on just one hole.----Plautus

Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus interpres.
As a true translator you will take care not to translate word for word.----Horace

Nil actum reputa si quid superest agendum.
Don't consider that anything has been done if anything is left to be done.----Lucan

Non est ad astra mollis e terris via.
There is no easy way from the earth to the stars.----Seneca

Non est ars quae ad effectum casu venit.
That which achieves its effect by accident is not art.----Seneca

Non omnes qui habent citharam sunt citharoedi.
Not all those who own a musical instrument are musicians.----Varro

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

Nullum saeculum magnis ingeniis clausum est.
To great talents no era is closed.----Seneca

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

Num barbarorum Romulus rex fuit?
Romulus was not a king of barbarians, was he?----Cicero

O praeclarum custodem ovium lupum!
An excellent protector of sheep, the wolf!----Cicero

Omnia iam fient fieri quae posse negabam.
Everything which I used to say could not happen will happen now.----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

Patria est communis omnium parens.
Our native land is the common parent of us all.----Cicero

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

Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim.
Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.----Ovid

Potest ex casa magnus vir exire.
A great man can come from a cabin. ----Seneca

Praeceptores suos adulescens veneratur et suspicit.
A young man respects and looks up to his teachers.----Seneca

Quaedam iura non scripta sed omnibus scriptis certiora sunt.
Some laws are unwritten but they are better established than all written ones.----Seneca Rhetor

Quam se ipse amans---sine rivali!
Himself loving himself so much---without a rival!----Cicero

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

Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit.
He who is not prepared today will be less so tomorrow.----Ovid

Quid rides?...De te fabula narratur.
What are you laughing at? The joke's on you.----Horace

Quos amor verus tenuit, tenebit.
Those whom true love has held, it will go on holding.----Seneca

Rident stolidi verba Latina.
Fools laugh at the Latin language.----Ovid

Risu inepto res ineptior nulla est.
There is nothing more foolish than a foolish laugh.----Catullus

Saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas.
Often the prickly thorn produces tender roses.----Ovid

Saepe ne utile quidem est scire quid futurum sit.
Often it is not even advantageous to know what will be.----Cicero

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

Sedit qui timuit ne non succederet.
He who feared he would not succeed sat still. (For fear of failure, he did nothing.)----Horace

Simia quam similis, turpissima bestia, nobis!
How like us is that very ugly beast the monkey!----Cicero

Struit insidias lacrimis cum femina plorat.
When a woman weeps, she is setting traps with her tears.----Dionysius Cato

Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes.
It is foolish to fear that which you cannot avoid.----Publilius Syrus

Tarditas et procrastinatio odiosa est.
Delay--putting things off until tomorrow--is hateful.----Cicero

Timendi causa est nescire.
Ignorance is the cause of fear.----Seneca

Trahimur omnes laudis studio.
We are all led by our eagerness for praise.----Cicero

Ut sementem feceris ita metes.
As you sow so will you reap.----Cicero

Vitanda est improba siren desidia.
One must steer clear of the wicked temptress, Laziness.----Horace

Vos vestros servate, meos mihi linquite mores.
You cling to your own ways and leave mine to me.----Petrarch

------------------------------------------------------------------------