Below are ten well-known Latin sayings

 Below are ten well-known Latin sayings (and their commonly accepted English translations) drawn from famous Roman authors and historical figures. Each is accompanied by a brief note on authorship or context.

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1. Veni, vidi, vici.

   • Translation: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
   • Author/Context: Attributed to Julius Caesar, referring to his swift victory at the Battle of Zela (47 BCE).

2. Alea iacta est.

   • Translation: “The die is cast.”
   • Author/Context: Attributed to Julius Caesar, supposedly spoken as he crossed the Rubicon River (49 BCE), signifying a point of no return.

3. Carpe diem.

   • Translation: “Seize the day.”
   • Author/Context: From the Roman poet Horace (in his Odes, Book 1, Poem 11). It urges one to make the most of the present moment.

4. O tempora! O mores!

   • Translation: “Oh the times! Oh the morals!”
   • Author/Context: From Marcus Tullius Cicero’s First Oration against Catiline. Cicero expresses outrage at the moral state of his day.

5. Cui bono?

   • Translation: “For whose benefit?” or “Who stands to gain?”
   • Author/Context: Commonly associated with Cicero (though the phrase can be found earlier). It’s used as a principle of investigation, implying one should look for who gains from a crime or event.

6. Audentes fortuna iuvat (or Fortes fortuna adiuvat).

   • Translation: “Fortune favors the bold (or the brave).”
   • Author/Context: A variation appears in Virgil’s Aeneid (Book 10). The underlying idea is that bold action often brings good luck.

7. Omnia vincit amor (often seen as Amor vincit omnia).

   • Translation: “Love conquers all.”
   • Author/Context: From the Roman poet Virgil’s Eclogues (10.69). It underscores the power and universality of love.

8. Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto.

   • Translation: “I am a human being, so nothing human is strange to me.”
   • Author/Context: From the playwright Terence (Heauton Timorumenos, line 77). It expresses empathy and shared humanity.

9. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.

   • Translation: “It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.”
   • Author/Context: From Horace (Odes, Book 3, Poem 2). In modern times, the saying is often cited ironically (for example, by the poet Wilfred Owen) to question patriotic idealism.

10. Acta est fabula.

    • Translation: “The play is over.”
    • Author/Context: Commonly reported as the last words of Emperor Augustus, metaphorically signifying that his life’s ‘performance’ had ended.