Articles

TitleDateExcerpt
Panem Et Circenses in Roman Politics ExplainedFew Latin expressions have traveled as successfully from antiquity into modern political language as panem et circenses. Literally translated as ā€œbread and…
Ipse Dixit In Arguments And AuthorityWhen someone presents a claim as true simply because a respected person has stated it, the Latin phrase ipse dixit offers a precise description of what has…
Why Magnum Opus Means A MasterpieceThe Latin phrase magnum opus is commonly translated as ā€œgreat work.ā€ In modern English, it usually identifies an artist’s, writer’s, composer’s, scientist’s,…
O Tempora O Mores And The Crisis Of The Roman RepublicFew Latin expressions have traveled so easily across centuries as O tempora, o mores! Its compact rhythm makes it memorable, while its meaning remains useful…
Doctus Ex Machina And The Language Of Academic ExpertiseAcademic life is filled with Latin. Students earn a bachelor’s degree, researchers publish in proceedings, universities preserve an alma mater, and scholars…
Fiat Lux: Light, Knowledge, And CreationFew Latin expressions carry such a direct sense of drama as fiat lux. Usually translated as ā€œlet there be light,ā€ the phrase describes a command that changes…
How Dum Spiro Spero Inspires ResilienceFew Latin sayings express hope as compactly as dum spiro spero. Usually translated as ā€œwhile I breathe, I hope,ā€ the phrase links the most basic sign of life…
Cave Canem in ancient Roman householdsFew Latin expressions have crossed from an ancient wall into modern conversation as effectively as cave canem. Usually translated as ā€œbeware of the dog,ā€ the…
Latin Phrases in Astronomy From Stella Maris to Via LacteaThe night sky has always invited human beings to name, compare, and interpret what they see. Long before modern astronomy supplied precise measurements, Latin…
E Pluribus Unum: A Latin Motto on American CurrencyFew Latin phrases are as closely associated with the United States as E pluribus unum. Translated as ā€œOut of many, one,ā€ the motto expresses the idea that a…