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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Labor omnia vincit - Work conquers all things. (Virgil)

Lacrima Christi - Christ's tear

Lapsus calami - A slip of the pen

Lapsus linguae - A slip of the tongue

Lapsus memoriae - A slip of the memory

Lares et penates - Household gods

Latet anguis in herba - A snake lies in the grass. (Vergil)

Latine dictum - Spoken in Latin

Laudant illa, sed ista legunt - Some (writing) is praised, but other is read. (Martialis)

Laudatores temporis acti - Praisers of time past

Laudem virtutis necessitati damus - We give to necessity the praise of virtue finding the benefit in what's needful

Laus Deo - Praise be to God

Lectio brevior lectio potior - The shortest reading is the more probable reading

Lector benevole - Kind reader

Lectori Salutem (L.S.) - Greetings to the reader

Legatus a latere - Advisor from the side

Lege atque lacrima - Read 'em and weep

Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus - We are slaves of the law so that we may be able to be free. (Cicero)

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

Lex domicilii - The law of a person's home country

Lex fori - The law of the forum (country)

Lex loci - The law of the place

Lex mala, lex nulla - A bad law is no law. (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Lex non scripta - The unwritten (common) law

Lex scripta - The written law

Lex talionis - The law of revenge

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

Liberae sunt nostrae cogitationes - Our thoughts are free. (Cicero)

Libera te ex inferis - Save yourself from hell

Libertas inaestimabilis res est - Liberty is a thing beyond all price. (Corpus Iuris Civilis)

Liberum arbitrium - Free will

Libra solidus denarius (L.S.D.) - Pounds, shillings, pence

Licentia liquendi - Liberty of speaking

Licentia poetica - Poetic licence. (Seneca)

Licet - It is allowed

Lingua franca - Universal tongue

Literati - Men of letters

Litterae humaniores - The humanities

Loco citato (lc) - In the passage just quoted

Locum tenens - One occupying the place (used as an English noun meaning 'deputy')

Locus classicus - The most authoritative source, Classical passage

Locus delicti - The scene of the crime

Locus desperatus - A hopeless passage

Locus enim est principum generationis rerum - For place is the origin of things. (Roger Bacon)

Locus in quo - The place in which something happens

Locus poenitentiae - A place for repentance

Locus sigilli (l.s.) - The place of the seal

Locus standi - Place of standing

Longo intervallo - After a long gap

Loquitur (loq.) - He/she speaks

Luctor et emergo - I struggle but I'll survive

Lumen naturale - Natural light

Lupus est homo homini - Man is wolf to man

Lupus in fabula - The wolf in the tale (i.e. Speak of the wolf, and he will come) (Terence)

Lux et veritas - Light and Truth

Lux mundi - The light of the world