Table of contents

1 Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 BC - 8 BC) 1.1 Verified 1.2 Attributed 2 In Translation

Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 BC - 8 BC)

Roman poet

Verified

• "Parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus."
  • Translation: "Mountains will heave in childbirth, and a silly little mouse will be born."
  • Source: Ars Poetica, 139

• "Naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret."
  • Translation: "You can drive her away with a pitchfork, but Nature'll run right back."
  • Source: Epistles I,x,24

• "Nos numerus sumus et fruges consumere nati."
  • Translation: "We are but numbers, born to consume resources."
  • Source: Epistles I,ii,27

• "Ira furor brevis est."
  • Translation: "Anger is a short madness."
  • Source: Epistles I,ii,62

• "Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit..."
  • Translation: "Captive Greece took captive her savage conqueror."
  • Source: Epistles II,i,156

• "...Dum loquimur, fugerit invida / Aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."
  • Translation: "As we speak cruel time is fleeing. Seize the day, believing as little as possible in the morrow."
  • Source: Odes I, xi, 8

• "Nil desperandum..."
  • Translation: "No cause for despair..."
  • Source: Odes I, vii, 27

• "O matre pulchra filia pulchrior"
  • Translation: "A beautiful mother's yet more beautiful daughter!"
  • Source: Odes I, xvi, 1

• "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."
  • Translation: "It is sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland."
  • Source: Odes III, ii, 13

• "Pulvis et umbra sumus."
  • Translation: "Dust and shadow we are."
  • Source: Odes IV, vii, 16)

Attributed

• "Ars longa, vita brevis."
  • Translation: "Art is long, life is short."

• "Aurea mediocritas"
  • Translation: "Golden Mean"
  • From "Auream quisquis mediocritatem / Diligit"
  • Translation: "Someone who loves the golden mean"
  • Source: Odes II, x, 5

• Graïs ingenium, Graïs dedit ore rotundo / Musa loqui, præter laudem nullius avaris. . .
  • Translation: "The Muse gave the Greeks their native character, and allowed them to speak in noble tones, they who desired nothing but praise."

In Translation