LATIN QUOTES AND EXPRESSIONS

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Many Latin expressions are used in books and in everyday English speech, and you will certainly find most those phrases listed and translated on my site. However, the existing body of Latin literature, both Classical and Medieval is extremely vast. There are many undiscovered gems of wit and wisdom, so I encourage you to study Latin :) The source for a quote is sometimes indcated, but one must remember that Latin quotations are often used as if they were anonymous maxims of universal wisdom. Unlike the collections of quotes that you will find on some other websites, these lines have been actually looked at more than once by someone who knows Latin. I am sure, however, that some typos have not been fixed, so do not assume that anything you find here is safe and good enough to be tattooed on your person! Always ask a Latinist before using a Latin quote for any permanent purpose.

This site also hosts a plethora of imporant resources about Latin, as well as some other languages. Most notably, there a list of legal Latin maxims. Elsewhere on this site there are Latin phrases used in medicine, heraldry, jewelry engravings, sundials and Latin love poems. There is even a motto generator that lets you create Latin phrases without knowing Latin!

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Da mihi basia mille - Kiss me with a thousand kisses

Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo! - Make me chaste and pure, but not yet!

Damnant quod non intellegunt - They condemn what they do not understand

Data et accepta - Expenditure and receipts

De asini umbra disceptare - To argue about the shadow of an ass. (petty things for petty mind)

De bene esse - It shall be so, as long as it is well

De die in diem - From day to day

De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum - Of two evils, the lesser must always be chosen (Thomas a Kempis)

De facto - Something that is automatically accepted

De gustibus non est disputandum - There's no accounting for taste

De integro - Repeat again from the start

De iure - By law. According to law

De minimis non curat praetor - The authority or king, or law does not care about trivial things

De minimis - With respect to trifles

De mortuis nil nisi bonum - Say nothing but good about the dead. (Chilon)

De nihilo nihil - Nothing comes from nothing. (Lucretius)

De novo - Anew

De profundis - Up from the depths (of misery)

De rerum natvra - On the nature of things. (title of Marcus Aurelius's magnum opus)

Decrevi - I have decreed

Dei gratia - By the grace of God

Delenda est carthago - Carthage must be destroyed

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

Deo adiuvante - With God's help

Deo favente - With God's favour

Deo gratias - [We give] thanks to God

Deo Optimo Maximo - To God, the Best, the Greatest

Deo vindice - God our defender. (motto of the Confederate States of America)

Deo volente - God willing

Desunt cetera - The rest is missing

Deus absconditus - A god who is hidden from man

Deus commodo muto consisto quem meus canis sententia existo - Which, in a very ham fisted way, with generosity, comes close to being

Deus et natua non faciunt frusta - God and nature do not work together in vain

Deus ex machina - A contrived or artificial solution. (literally, 'a god from a machine')

Deus misereatur - May God Have Mercy

Deus vobiscum - God be with you

Deus volent - (as) God will

Deus vult! - God wills it! (Slogan of the Crusades)

Dictum sapienti sat est - A word to a wise person is sufficient

Dies Irae - Day of Wrath, or Judgment Day

Dies natalis - Birthday

Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem - It is difficult to suddenly give up a long love. (Catullus)

Difficile est saturam non scribere - It is hard not to write satire. (Juvenalis)

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)

Diis aliter visum - The Gods decided otherwise

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

Diligite justitiam, o judices terrae - Cherish justice, o judges of the earth

Dimidium facti qui coepit habet - Half is done when the beginning is done. (Horace)

Dira necessitas - The dire necessity. (Horace)

Discere docendo - To learn through teaching

Disiecti membra poetae - Limbs of a dismembered poet. (Horace)

Disjecta membra - The scattered remains

Divide et impera - Divide and conquer

Dixi - I have spoken. (I will say no more on the matter, and no one else may speak further)

Do ut des - I give so that you give back

Docendo discitur - It is learned by teaching. (Seneca)

Doli capax - Capable of crime

Domine, dirige nos - Lord, direct us

Domino optimo maximo - To the Lord, the best and greatest

Dominus illuminatio mea - The Lord is my light

Dominus providebit - The Lord will provide

Dominus tecum - May the Lord be with you (Singular)

Dominus vobiscum - May the Lord be with you (Plural)

Donec eris felix, multos numerabis amicos - As long as you are fortunate, you will have many friends (when you are successful, everyone wants to be your friend)

Donna nobis pacem - Grant us peace

Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus - Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon. (motto of Harry Potter's alma mater)

Dramatis personae - Characters of the play

Dulce bellum inexpertis - War is sweet for those who haven't experienced it. (Pindaros)

Dulce est desipere in loco - It is sweet to relax at the proper time

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - It is sweet and glorious to die for one's country. (Horace)

Dulcius ex asperis - Through difficulty, sweetness

Dum excusare credis, accusas - When you believe you are excusing yourself, you are accusing yourself. (St. Jerome)

Dum inter homines sumus, colamus humanitatem - As long as we are among humans, let us be humane. (Seneca)

Dum spiramus tuebimur - While we breathe, we shall defend

Dum spiro, spero - While I breathe, I hope. (Cicero)

Dum tempus habemus, operemur bonum - While we have the time, let us do good

Dum vita est spes est - While life is, hope is. / While there is life there is hope

Dum vivimus, vivamus - While we live, let us live (Epicurean philosophy)

Dura lex, sed lex - The law is harsh, but it is the law