Francis of Assisi and, consequently, of his monastery in Assisi, in the Umbria region of Italy. Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of Pax Deorum (The Peace of the Gods) instead of Ira Deorum (The Wrath of the Gods). Used in the Peace and Truce of God movement in 10th-Century France. Said to be one of Carl Gauß's favorite quotations. The traditional beginning of a Roman Catholic confession.įrom The King and I by Rogers and Hammerstein. Derived from the phrase pater familias, an Old Latin expression preserving the archaic - as ending. In Roman law, a father had enormous power over his children, wife, and slaves, though these rights dwindled over time. The eldest male in a family, who held patria potestas ("paternal power"). Implies that the weak are under the protection of the strong, rather than that they are inferior. "the mountains are in labour, and a ridiculous mouse shall be born" Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus Thus, "moving together", "simultaneously", etc. Originally described all that was needed for emperors to placate the Roman mob, and today used to describe any entertainment used to distract public attention from more important matters. "bread and circuses", "bread and circus plays"įrom Juvenal, Satires 10, 81. Used to politely acknowledge someone who disagrees with the speaker or writer.Īlso "contracts must be honored". Loosely, "be at peace", "with due deference to", "by leave of" or "no offense to". Some of the phrases are themselves translations of Greek phrases, as Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak centuries before that of Ancient Rome:Ī B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V This appendix lists direct English translations of Latin phrases. If so, the sections can be reviewed individually: Warning, this page may be too large for some browsers.