AB AETERNO from eternity from the beginning of time

no date established

it has always been this way

AB ASINO LANAM wool from an ass blood from a stone

impossible

AB VRBE CONDITA from the founding of the city abbreviated A.U.C., specifically used for Roman dates, reckoned from the founding of that city in 753 BCE

A CAPPELLA in church [style] i.e. vocal music only

ACTA NON VERBA actions not words motto of U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at King's Point

ACTVS REVS wrongful act as opposed to mens rea - the wrongful intention or guilty mind

AD ASTRA PER ASPERA to the stars through difficulties motto of The National Space Society

AD CALENDAS GRAECAS at the Greek calends never because the Greek did not reckon time with calends

AD HOC to this for a particular purpose

spur of the moment

AD INFINITVM to infinity without end

AD LIBITVM to pleasure perform without a plan

freely nowadays used in short form ad lib

AD MAIOREM DEI GLORIAM for the greater glory of God

AD NAVSEVM to [the point of] disgust

ADVOCATVS DIABOLI devil's advocate nowadays, a person who takes the unpopular side of an argument

ALEA IACTA EST the die is cast there's no going back

what's next is in the hands of the gods irreversible act

ALMA MATER fostering mother one's old school

AMICVS CVRIAE friend of the court person not party to the case who submits material of probitive value

AMOR VINCIT OMNIA love conquers all

ANNO DOMINI year of the Lord abbreviated A.D.

ANNVIT COEPTIS [He] has favored [our] undertaking divine favor motto above the pyramid on the back of the U.S. dollar

ANNVS MIRABILIS wonderful year not just any good year, but a momentous year in history such as 1848, 1968, or 1989

ANNVS TERRIBILIS terrible year just the opposite of above, an especially rotten year such as 1346, 1914, or 2001

A POSTERIORI from what comes after inductive reasoning based on observation, as opposed to deductive, or a priori

AQVA VITAE water of life akvavit

in general, distilled spirits see parallel Gaelic uiskabagh, "water of life", i.e. whiskey

ARS GRATIA ARTIS art for art's sake statement that art needs no external justification, as opposed to commercial art

ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS art is long [while] life is short art lasts forever while affairs of the moment are forgotten

AVREA MEDIOCRITAS the golden mean moderation in all things truth and goodness are generally to be found in the middle, not the extremes

AVE ATQVE VALE hail and farewell

BONA FIDE in good faith

CAMERA OBSCVRA hidden room an early photographic or painting technique utilizing optical pinholes

CARPE DIEM seize the day eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we may die

CARTAGO DELENDA EST Carthage must be destroyed

CASVS BELLI occasion of war the act which starts a war

CAVEAT EMPTOR let the buyer beware

CAVEAT VENDOR let the seller beware modern counter-principle of above

CAVE QVID DICIS, QVANDO ET CVI beware what you say, when and to whom

CETERIS PARIBVS other things being equal

CIRCA about,

approximately abbreviated c or ca.

CAELVM NON ANIMVM MVTANT QVI TRANS MARE CVRRVNT those who cross the sea [only] change the sky, not their spirits no matter how far you go, you always take yourself with you

COGITO ERGO SVM I think therefore I am fundamental axiom by Descartes in XVIII, not Roman

CORPVS DELICTI the body of the crime tangible evidence of wrongdoing, the smoking gun as opposed to mere circumstances or indications

CREDO QVIA ABSVRDVM I believe it [because] it's absurd this sentiment would translate very well into Russian

CVI BONO for whom [is it] good? to find the criminal, first learn who profited from the crime

CVM GRANO SALIS [take] with a grain of salt be skeptical

CVM TACENT CLAMANT when they are silent, they cry out silence is an admission of guilt

CVNCTANDO REGITUR MUNDIS waiting, one rules the world waiting, one conquers all

CVRAE LEVES LOQVVNTVR INGENTES STVPENT lesser griefs talk, great ones are speechless in for a penny, in for a pound;

might as well be hung for a sheep instead of a lamb;

leave no witnesses as Machiavelli said, And let it here be noted that men are either to be kindly treated, or utterly crushed, since they can revenge lighter injuries, but not graver. Wherefore the injury we do to a man should be of a sort to leave no fear of reprisals

CVRRICVLVM VITAE the course of [one's] life a resume

DAMNANT QVOD NON INTELLIGVNT they condemn what they do not understand

DE ASINI VMBRA DISCEPTARE to argue about the shadow of an ass petty things for petty minds

DE FACTO from the fact in reality

actually in power as opposed to...

DE IVRE from the law legal but not real or not in power

DE GVSTIBVS NON DISPVTANDVM EST in [matters] of taste, there's no argument

DE MORTVIS NIL NISI BONVM of the dead, [say] nothing but good never speak ill of the dead

DE NIHILO NIHIL nothing from nothing also, ex nihilo nihil fit you can't create something from nothing

DE PROFVNDIS out of the depths [of sorrow and despair]

DE RERVM NATVRA on the nature of things title of Marcus Aurelius's magnum opus

DEO GRATIS thanks be to God

DEUS VOLENT [as] God wills

DEVS EX MACHINA god from the machine a contrived plot device, usually a sign of bad writing or bad thinking

DRAMATIS PERSONAE persons of the drama cast of characters

DVM SPIRO SPERO while [there's] life, [there's] hope

DVM VIVIMVS VIVAMVS while we live let us live Epicurean motto

DVRA LEX SED LEX hard [is the] law but [it's the] law

E PLVRIBVS VNVM out of many, one motto on the US dollar

ECCE HOMO behold the man words first spoken by Pontius Pilate when he showed Jesus crowned by thorns to the mob

ENSE ET ARATRO with sword and plow citizen-soldier, one who serves in war and peace

ERRARE HVMANVM EST to err is human the second half of the phrase is "to forgive, divine"

ET CETERA and others abbreviated etc.

ET TV BRVTE you also Brutus Caesar's dying recognition of betrayal

EX CATHEDRA from the chair from high authority

infallible

EX PEDE HERCVLEM from the foot of Hercules one can judge the whole from a sample

EX POST FACTO from what is done afterwards after the fact, or retroactive one form of logical fallacy

EXCEPTIO PROBAT REGVLAM the exception establishes the rule not that all rules must have exceptions, but that exceptions help define rules better

EXEMPLI GRATIA by way of example abbreviated e.g.

EXTINCTVS AMABITVR IDEM the same [hated] man will be loved after he's dead how quickly we forget

FABAS INDVLCET FAMES hunger sweetens beans hunger is the best seasoning

FACILIS DESCENSVS AVERNO the descent to Avernus (Hell) [is] easy it's easy to fall, hard to rise

FELIS QVI NIHIL DEBET happy [is] he who owes nothing

FIAT LVX let there be light Biblical

FIAT VOLVNTAS TVA let Thy will [be done] Biblical

FIDES PVNICA Punic [Carthaginian] faith i.e. a double cross

FINEM RESPICE look to the end [before setting forth]

FLAGRANTE DELICTO with the crime blazing caught in the act

FORTES FORTVNA FORTIBVS fortune favors the brave you make your own luck

FORTITER IN RE, SVAVITER IN MODE resolutely in the thing [deed], gently in manner do what is necessary, but do it as gently as possible

FRONTI NVLLA FIDES on the front no reliance [can be placed] don't judge a book by its cover

don't be misled by appearances

GAVDEAMVS IGITVR let us rejoice therefore Biblical

HABEAS CORPVS [that] you have the body a legal writ requiring that the person being detained be brought before a judge to show cause and guard against unfair imprisonment; basis of British and American jurisprudence

HAEC OLIM MEMINISSE IVVABIT time heals all things i.e. wounds, offenses

HANNIBAL AD PORTAS Hannibal is at the gates the best colloquial translation in American English is regrettably, "the Russians are coming"

HIC ET NVNC here and now immediately

HOC EST VIVERE BIS VITA POSSE PRIORE FRVI to live twice is to make useful profit from one's past Experience is the best teacher, so learn from her

HOC VOLO SIC IVBEO SIT PRO RATIONE VOLVNTAS this I will, thus I command, let [my] will [serve] as reason

HODIE MIHI CRAS TIBI today to me tomorrow to you epitaph to remind reader of own mortality

HOMO DOCTVS IS SE SEMPER DIVITIAS HABET a learned man always has wealth within himself

HOMO LVPVS HOMINI man [is a] wolf to man man's inhumanity to man

HOSTIS HVMANI GENERIS enemy of the human race Saddam, for instance

IBIDEM in the same place abbreviated ibid.

ID EST that is abbreviated i.e.

IESV NAZARENVS REGIS IVDAEORVM Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews Roman inscription over Christ's cross, always abbreviated INRI

IGNIS AVREM PROBAT, MISERIA FORTES VIROS fire tests gold, adversity [tests] strong men Nietzsche: 'That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger'

IGNOTI NVLLA CVPIDO no desire [exists] for [a thing] unknown you can't want what you don't see Why not to broadcast Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous in the Third World

IN ARTICVLO MORTIS in the grip of death a deathbed statement carries special weight, also in extremis

IN BELLO PARVIS MOMENTIS MAGNI CASVS INTERCEDVNT in war great events result from small causes for want of a nail, a shoe was lost

for want of a shoe, a horse was lost

for want of a horse, a courier was lost

for want of a courier, a battle was lost

and so, the kingdom was lost armies win that screw up least, so pay attention to detail

IN CAMERA in chambers judicial proceeding from which the public is excluded

IN CAVDA VENENVM in the tail [is the] poison watch out for what you don't see

look beyond the obvious

IN HOC SIGNO VINCES by this sign you shall conquer miraculous apparition to Emperor Constantine at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 306 CE

IN LOCO PARENTIS in place of parents

IN MEDIA RES into the midst of things into the middle of the story

doing something without background or preparation as opposed to ab ovo "from the egg" or ab initio "from the beginning"

IN NOMINE PATRIS ET FILII ET SPIRITVS SANCTI in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost Biblical

IN SAECVLA SAECVLORVM for ages of ages forever

IN SITV in place

INSANVS OMNIS FVRERE CREDIT CETEROS every madman thinks everybody else is mad

IN VINO VERITAS in wine [there is] truth

IN TOTO in total i.e., without changes; all at once

INFRA DIGNITATEM beneath [one's] dignity

INTEGER VITAE blameless of life an honorable life

INTER ALIA among other [things]

INTERREGNVM period between rules anarchy, lawlessness

IPSA QVIDEM PRETIVM VIRTVS SIBI virtue is its own reward

IPSE DIXIT he himself said so assertion relying on personal authority, not fact

IPSO FACTO by the fact itself

IVS EST ARS BONI ET AEQVI law is the art of the good and the just

IVS GENTIVM right of tribes law of nations

international law

LAPSVS LINGVAE slip of the tongue

LAVDEM VIRTVTIS NECESSITATI DAMVS we give to necessity the praise of virtue finding the benefit in what's needful

LEX NON SCRIPTA unwritten law common law English law based on custom

LEX TALIONIS the law of retaliation an eye for an eye

LINGVA FRANCA French tongue the common or universal language

LVCVS A NON LVCENDO a grove from the absence of light a thing whose essence is the opposite of what its name suggests an absurd etymology, e.g. ?

or, Orwellian

LVSVS NATVRAE sport of nature a freak

MAGNVM OPVS great work the major work of one's life

MAIOR E LONGINQVO REVERENTIA greater reverence from afar familiarity breeds contempt nothing propinks like propinquity

MALESVADA FAMES persuading to evil hunger that leads to crime in French, jaquerie

MEA CVLPA my crime my fault

MEDICE, CVRA TE IPSVM physican heal thyself also, take one's own advice

MEMENTO MORI remember you must die reminder of death, or a death's head

MENDACEM MEMOREM ESSE OPORTET it is fitting that a liar [should be a man of good] memory Robert Burns: 'Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we learn to deceive.'

MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO a sound mind in a sound body one cannot be sane without being healthy

MIRABILE DICTV remarkable to say

MIRABILE VISV wonderful to see

MOBILE VVLGVS the moveable public the fickle mob

MODVS OPERANDI method of operation abbreviated M.O.

MODVS VIVENDI way of living [together]

MORITVRI TE SALVTEMVS we who are about to die salute you traditional salute given to Roman emperors by gladiators in the arena before combat

MORS TVA, VITA MEA your death, my life you must die so that I can live

MORTVI NON MORDANT dead [men] don't bite dead men tell no tales

MVLTI SVNT VOCATI, PAVCI VERO ELECTI many are called [but] few are chosen

MVNDVS VVLT DECIPI the world wishes to be deceived there's a sucker born every minute

MVTATIS MVTANDIS the things that ought to have changed having been changed with the necessary substitutions having been made

NASCENTES MORIMVR from the moment of birth we begin to die

NATVRA NON FACIT SALTVM nature makes no leaps gradualism; however the discovery of the Dino Killer's footprint in Chixulub, Yucutan may have invalidated this seemingly sensible principle

NE CEDE MALIS do not yield to misfortune

NE PLVS VLTRA not further beyond a highest or furthest point implicitly a suggestion to stay put or better yet go back, nowadays used incorrectly as a synonym for 'best'

NE QVID NIMIS nothing in excess

NEC PLVRIBVS IMPAR not unequal to most a match for anyone motto of Louis XIV of France "the Sun King"; good example of litote or understatement by which an affirmative thought is expressed by stating the negative of the contrary thought

NEMO LIBER EST QVI CORPORI SERVIT no one is free who is a slave to his body

NEMO MALVS FELIX no bad man [is] happy no peace unto the wicked

NEMO ME IMPVNE LACESSIT no one provokes me with impunity back off or be sorry

NEMO REPENTE FVIT TVRPISSIMVS no one ever became extremely wicked all of a sudden

NIHIL AGENDO HOMINES MALE AGERE DISCVNT by doing nothing men learn to act wickedly or as the Bible says, idle hands are the Devil's workshop

NIL DESPERANDVM nothing is to be despaired of never say die Yogi Berra: 'the game ain't over til it's over'

NIL NOVI SVB SOLE nothing new under the sun is more about human nature than our inventions

NOLENS, VOLENS [being] unwilling, willing doing something you don't really want to do, willy-nilly, haphazardly

NOLI ME TANGERE touch me not spoken by Jesus to Mary Magdalen after his Resurrection

a person or thing that can't be touched

a warning to stay away or uninvolved

NOLLE PROSEQVI to wish not to proceed procurator's statement abandoning the proceedings

NOLO CONTENDERE I don't want to fight equivalent to admission of guilt and subject to punishment, but allows legal option to deny charges later

NON BIS IN IDEM not twice for the same thing Latin proscription against double jeopardy in the courts

NON COMPOS MENTIS not sound mind insane, crazy

NON EST VIVERE SED VALERE VITA EST life is not being alive but being well

NON IGNARA MALI, MISERIS SVCCVRRERE DISCO no stranger to misfortune [myself] I learn to relieve the sufferings [of others]

NON MIHI, NON TIBI, SED NOBIS not for you, not for me, but for us the foundation of a good relationship

NON NOVA SED NOVE not new things but newly in a new way

NON OMNIA POSSVMVS OMNES we cannot all do everything no one can become an expert in everything

NON OMNIS MORIAR I shall not [completely] die Horace telling us that his works would live forever

NON SEMPER EA SVNT QVAE VIDENTVR things are not always what they appear to be see also non teneas aurum totum quod splendet ut auram

NON SEMPER ERIT AESTAS [it] will not always be summer make hay while the sun shines

be prepared for hard times

NON SEQVITVR [it] does not follow illogical, nonsense

NOTA BENE note well abbreviated N.B.

NOVVS HOMO new man but really means parvenu or nouveau riche or novy Russkii

NVDVM PACTVM a nude pact an invalid agreement a contract with illusory benefits or without consideration hence unenforceable

NVLLVM QVOD TETIGET NON ORNAVIT he touched none he did not adorn not simply 'the Midas touch', or 'he left things better than he found them', but a tribute to a Renaissance man

NVNC AVT NVNQVAM now or never

NVNC DIMITTIS now let [thy servant] depart generally any permission to go, specifically to express one's readiness to depart or die

NVNC PRO TVNC now for then retroactive

OBITER DICTVM [thing] said by the way parenthetical remark

OBSTA PRINCIPIIS resist the beginnings nip it in the bud

a stitch in time saves nine

an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure don't wait for something to get worse before fixing it

ODERINT DVM METVANT [let] them hate while they fear let them hate me as long as they fear me could have been Lavrentiy Pavlovich's [Beria's] personal motto

OLEVM ADDERE CAMINO to pour fuel on the stove adding gasoline to a fire

to make a bad thing worse

to aggravate the situation

OLEVM PERDISTI you have lost oil you've wasted your time on this criticism for a misallocation of resources

OMNE IGNOTVM PRO MAGNIFICO EST everything unknown is thought to be magnificent 'the grass is greener on the other side of the fence' but also, everything unknown is thought to be more difficult than it really is

OMNES DETERIORES SVMVS LICENTIA too much freedom debases us

OMNE TRINVM EST PERFECTVM everything [in] threes is perfect old proverb reflecting the mystical power of the number three; source of the doctrine of the Trinity?

OMNE TVLIT PVNCTVM QVI MISCVIT VTILE DVLCI [he] has gained every point who has combined [the] useful [with the] agreeable

OMNIA MVTANTVR NOS ET MVTAMVR IN ILLIS all things change and we change with them

OPERE CITATO in the work cited scholarly footnote, abbreviated op. cit.

ORATVR FIT, POETA NASCITVR an orator is made [but] a poet is born

O TEMPORES, O MORES! Oh the times, oh the customs! these are bad times

PANEM ET CIRCENSES bread and circuses nowadays, welfare and TV

PAR PARE REFERO I return like for like tit for tat retaliation

PARES CVM PARIBVS like persons with like persons birds of a feather flock together

people will seek out their own kind

PARI PASSV with equal pace

PARTVRIENT MONTES, NASCETVR RIDICVLVS MVS mountains will be in labor [and a] ridiculous mouse will be born all that work and nothing to show for it

PARVA LEVES CAPIVNT ANIMAS small things sieze light minds petty things for petty minds

PASSIM here and there

PATRIS EST FILIVS he is his father's son 'chip off the old block' see also qualis pater talis filius

PAVPERTAS OMNIVM ARTIVM REPERTRIX poverty [is the] inventor of all the arts necessity is the mother of invention

PAX VOBISCVM [may] peace [be] with you

PECCAVI I have sinned the shortest and cleverest military dispatch of all time, see also Caesar's veni vidi vici. British general Sir Charles Napier wrote the single word peccavi as a pun to communicate his victory at the city of Miani in the Indian region of Sindh in 1843, i.e. 'I have Sindh.'

PECVNIAE OBEDIVNT OMNIA all things obey money money makes the world go round

PECVNIA NON OLET money doesn't smell 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth'

PENETRALIA MENTIS the innermost recesses of the mind 'heart of hearts'

PER ACRIA BELLI through the harshness [better: bitterness or savagery] of war

PER DIEM by the day as opposed to a fixed price, nowadays used to mean the daily living allowance on business travel

PER FAS ET NEFAS through right or wrong

PER IMPOSSIBILE as is impossible a way to qualify a proposition that cannot ever be true

PER SE by itself

PERICVLVM IN MORA danger in delay

PERMITTE DIVIS CETERA [when you have done all that is prudent] leave the rest to the gods 'you pays your money and you takes your chances'

PERSONA NON GRATA person not pleasing or unwelcome person a declaration used in diplomacy prior to deporting someone, occasionally abbreviated P.N.G.

PLVRES CRAPVLA QVAM GLADIVS drunkeness [kills] more than the sword as true today on the road as it ever was

PONS ASINORVM bridge of asses bridge of fools an insoluble problem

PONTIFEX MAXIMVS great bridge-builder high priest more specifically the Bishop of Rome, i.e. the Pope

POSSE COMITATVS the power of a county "posse" as in American Western movies, a group of people enlisted on the spot by the law to pursue a criminal also means the proscription in America against the use of the military for internal police matters, from 1878.

POSSVNT QVIA POSSE VIDENTVR they can because they seem to be able to the appearance of power bestows power also, perception of power can be as important as the power itself

POST EQVITEM SEDET ATRA CVRA behind the horseman sits black care no one is free of worry

POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC after this therefore because of this a logical fallacy; things that follow one another are not always related

POST MORTEM after death nowadays, the autopsy performed by a coroner

POST PARTVM after childbirth

POST SCRIPTVM written afterward abbreviated P.S.

POTIVS MORI QVAM FOEDARI rather to die than to be dishonored death before dishonor old Roman mother's sendoff: with your shield or on it

PRAEMONITVS, PRAEMVNITVS forewarned [is] forearmed

PRIMA FACIE on the face of it in law, an obvious case that requires no further proof

PRIMVS INTER PARES first among equals a paradox meaning leader of a council or oligarchy

PRO BONO PVBLICO for the public good nowadays means not charging for services, abbrev. pro bono

PRO FORMA for form but not in reality meaningless formality

PRO RATA in proportion

PRO TEMPORE for time temporarily abbrev. pro tem

PROBITAS LAVDATVR ET ALGET virtue is praised [and then] left to freeze society approves of goodness but won't reward it

PROPRIVM HVMANI INGENII EST ODISSE QVEM LAESERIS [it is] human nature to hate a person whom you have injured

PROSIT may it benefit you a drinking toast which has passed unchanged to the German prosit

QVAE NOCENT DOCENT things that hurt, teach 'School of Hard Knocks'

QVAERENDA PECVNIA PRIMVM EST, VIRTVS POST NVMMOS money is the first thing to be sought [then] virtue after wealth another motto for the oligarchs, apparently

QVALIS ARTIFEX PEREO such an artist dies in me Emperor Nero's famous last words, or novissimus verba

QVALIS PATER TALIS FILIVS like father like son 'the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree'

QVANDOQVE BONVS DORMITAT HOMERVS sometimes [even the] good Homer sleeps you win some, you lose some

QVEM DI DILIGVNT, ADOLSECENS MORITVR whom the gods love dies young 'only the good die young'

QVI BENE AMAT BENE CASTIGAT who loves well castigates well 'spare the rod and spoil the child'

'honesty is the best policy'

QVI DESIDERAT PACEM PRAEPARAT BELLVM who desires peace [should] prepare [for] war antecedent of the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command motto: 'Peace is our profession'.

QVI DOCENT DISCIT [he] who teaches, learns Truer words were never spoken, George Bernard Shaw notwithstanding. See also qui scribit bis legit.

QVI FVGIEBAT RVRSVS PROELIABITVR [he] who has fled will do battle once more 'he who fights and runs away may live to fight another day'

'discretion is the better part of valor' but this advice cuts both ways, as in 'don't let your enemies escape alive'. It would seem that Stalin wasn't listening to the Romans when he penned Order No. 227 ('ne shagu nazad!').

QVI ME AMAT, AMAT ET CANEM MEAM who loves me loves my dog as well 'love me love my dog'

you must take me as I am

QVI NESCIT DISSIMVLARE NESCIT REGNARE [he] who doesn't know how to lie doesn't know how to rule

QVI SCRIBIT BIS LEGIT [he] who writes reads twice

QVI TACET CONSENTIT [he] who remains silent consents principle behind the statute of limitations in civil law

QVI TIMIDE ROGAT DOCET NEGARE he who asks timidly teaches to refuse he who asks timidly invites refusal

QVID FACIENDVM? what is to be done? One of Lenin's works, no?

QVID NOVI? what's new? 'what's up?'

'what's happening?' Irish 'what's the rumpus?'

QVID PRO QVO something for something an [even] exchange

QVIS CVSTODIET IPSOS CVSTODES who will guard those selfsame guardians? 'don't assign a fox to guard the henhouse' the perennial question in civics, see nil novis sub solus

QVOD CIBVS EST ALIIS, ALIIS EST VENENVM what is food to some is poison to others 'one man's meat is another poison'

'one man's garbage is another man's treasure'

QVOD CITO ACQVIRITVR CITO PERIT [that] which is quickly acquired [is] quickly lost 'easy come, easy go'

QVOD ERAT DEMONSTRANDVM [that] which has been demonstrated a statement of logical proof, especially in mathematics and law, abbreviated Q.E.D.

QVOD VIVE which see a scholarly cross-reference, abbreviated q.v.

QVOMODO VALES? what way [are] you going? Roman greeting, see also salve

QVONDAM former

QVOS DEVS VVLT PERDERE PRIVS DEMENTAT whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad

QVO VADIS? whither goest thou? Biblical; similar translation to above, but philosophical not a greeting

RADIX OMNIVM MALORVM EST CVPIDITAS the love of money is the root of all evil note: not the money itself, nor the vegetable 'radish'

RARA AVIS rare bird extraordinary, a special or unique person

REDDITE QVAE SVNT CAESARIS CAESARI, ET QVAE SVNT DEI DEO render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, unto God that which is God's basis of separation of Church and State in the West, a lesson Muslims have yet to learn

REDIME TE CAPTVM, QVAM QVEAS MINIMO pay when taken prisoner as little as you can [to buy] your [freedom] only give the enemy your name, rank, and serial number

REDOLET LVCERNAM [it] smells of the lamp critical remark that one worked too hard on something, or too late the night before

REDVCTIO AD ABSVRDVM reduction to absurdity take to the extreme a form of logical argument

REPENTE DIVES NEMO FACTVS EST BONVS : no one rich is made suddenly good another motto more the noviye Russkiye

REQVIESCAT IN PACE rest in peace epitaph on a gravestone, or generally an indication that someone has died, abbreviated R.I.P.

RES IN CARDINE EST the matter is on a door hinge things are balanced on a knife's edge

things can go either way

we're in a crisis

RES INTER ALIOS a matter between others it's not our business

RES IPSA LOQVITVR the thing speaks for itself the facts are obvious or beyond dispute

RES PVBLICA the affairs of the people basis of the word 'republic', and unchanged in Russian

RESPONDEAT SVPERIOR let the superior answer 'the buck stops here' principle of accountability

REX NON POTEST PECCARE the king cannot sin

SALVS VBI MVLTI CONSILIARII [there is] safety where [there are] many advisors two heads are better than one not an apology for bureaucratic dilution of blame

SANCTVM SANCTORVM holy of holies most private, off limits

SAPIENS NIHIL AFFIRMAT QVOD NON PROBAT a wise man affirms nothing which he does not prove good advice for a student, or for the nation in a crisis

SCIENTIA EST POTENTIA knowledge is power

SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS the Senate and the people of Rome official Roman inscription meaning by the authority of the Roman Empire, usually on military standards, abbreviated SPQR

SEMPER FIDELIS always faithful also semper fi motto of the United States Marine Corps

SI REQUIRIS MONUMENTUM CIRCUMSPICE If you need [to see] a monument [to them][just] look around [yourself] Medieval Latin; anonymous; epitaph to those who have built great things in the real world

SIC thus editorial remark in square brackets [sic] used to indicate a verbatim quote or record without correcting the spelling or grammar

SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS thus always to tyrants a statement often accompanying a regicide

SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MVNDI so passes the glory of the world usually said at the end or fall of some great thing

SINE DIE without a day closed for indefinite period

SINE QVA NON without which not the necessary or indispensable element

SISTE VIATOR wait, traveler inscription on Roman tombstones

SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS may the earth be light upon you another tombstone epitaph

SOTTO VOCE in soft voice

SPECTATVM VENIVNT, VENIVNT SPECTENTVR VT IPSAE they come to see, they come that they themselves be seen 'to see and be seen'

STATVS QVO state of affairs [now]

STATVS QVO ANTE state of affairs before [now]

STVLTORVM CALAMI CARBONES MOENIA CHARTAE chalk [is] the pen of fools, the walls [their ] paper the perennial problem of graffiti and vandalism, (or today's equivalent, spam and computer viruses - see asinorum calami virii et spama, Retus chartae)

SVB POENA under penalty

SVB ROSA under the rose in confidence, secret

SVI GENERIS of its own kind unique

one of a kind

not to be treated the regular way

SVMMVM IVS, SVMMVM INIVRIA extreme law, extreme injustice a lesson for Inspector Javert

TABVLA RASA erased tablet empty

blank

a clean slate a mind ready for knowledge, a computer ready for programming

TE NOSCE know thyself

TEMPVS EDAX RERVM time [the] devourer of all [things]

TEMPVS FVGIT time flies

TEMPVS OMNIA REVELAT time reveals all [things] not according to the Official Secrets Act

TENERE LVPVM AVRIBVS to hold a wolf by the ears to deal boldly with danger

TERRA FIRMA solid ground

TERRA INCOGNITA unknown territory

TIMEO DANAOS ET DONA FERENTES I fear [the] Greeks and the gifts they bear famous warning ignored by the Trojans, source of phrase 'Trojan horse'

TV QVOQVE you also response to an accusation or insult

VBI BENE IBI PATRIA where there is good there is my fatherland I owe my allegiance to the country in which I prosper or as Lenin would say, vote with your feet

VBI SOLITVDINEM FACIVNT PACEM APPELLANT where they create a desert, they call it peace 'we had to destroy the village in order to save it' from the Third Punic War in which Carthage was destroyed; in general a criticism of militarism

VLTIMA RATIO REGVM the final argument of kings motto of Louis XIV on his cannon

VLTIMA THVLE beyond Thule the end of the earth

VLTRA VIRES beyond [one's] authority outside the jurisdiction

above one's pay grade

VNA SALVS VICTIS NVLLAM SPERARE SALVTEM the one safety for the vanquished is to abandon hope of safety hopelessness gives courage

VRBI ET ORBI to the city [of Rome] and to the world preface of Papal documents

VTI POSSIDETIS as you possess possession is nine tenths of the law we stole it fair and square; all property deeds can ultimately be traced to right of conquest

VADE IN PACE go in peace Roman goodbye

VADI MECVM come with me guide or handbook

VAE VICTIS woe to the vanquished it's tough to be the loser

VALE be well Roman goodbye

VANITAS VANITATVM, OMNIS VANITAS vanity of vanities, all is vanity everything man does is in vain

VENI VIDI VICI I came, I saw, I conquered Caesar's pithy remark to the Roman Senate about his victory at Pontus

VERBA VOLANT, SCRIPTA MANENT spoken words fly away, written words remain 'get it in writing' because verbal contracts get you verbal benefits

VERBVM SAPIENTI SAT a word to the wise is enough a verbal warning prior to real punishment

VERITAS VOS LIBERABIT the truth shall set you free motto of the C.I.A.

VIDELICET it is permitted to see to wit;

namely abbreviated viz.

VINCIT QVI SE VINCIT he conquers who conquers himself

VIRTVS PROBATA FLORESCIT manly excellence in trial flourishes

VIRTVTIS FORTVNA COMES good luck is the companion of courage

VIS CONSILI EXPERS MOLE RVIT SVA force without wise counsel falls by its own weight discretion is the better part of valor

VIS INERTIAE the power of inertia why things never change

VIVE HODIE live today [not tomorrow]

VIVE VT VIVAS live that you may live

VIXERE FORTES ANTE AGAMEMNONA brave men lived before Agamemnon heroism exists even if it's not recorded

we don't have a monopoly on good

VOLENS ET POTENS willing and able as opposed to volo non valeo

VOLENTI NON FIT INIVRIA to a willing [person] no injury [is] made it's not a crime between consenting adults

VOLVPTATES COMMENDAT RARIOR VSVS infrequent use commends pleasure moderation in all things

VOX CLAMANTIS IN DESERTO voice crying in the desert voice in the wilderness unheeded warning, an opinion not in the mainstream

VOX ET PRAETEREA NIHIL a voice and nothing more an empty threat