Canis timidus vehementius latrat quam mordet.
People who frequently threaten, swear, or use strong words are usually not the ones who actually take action (violence). Anyone who expresses their aggression audibly — “barks” — has, as it were, already lost that energy in the sound, and rarely actually takes any action. The saying is often used to reassure someone who is afraid of a threat or an angry reaction from another person.
A well-known side note reads: “Barking dogs don’t bite, but who shoots a barking dog?” — a variation indicating that a threat must sometimes be taken seriously after all.
Origin:
The saying is a classic folk proverb without an identifiable individual originator. Virtually every European language has an equivalent:
– English: “His bark is worse than his bite” / “Barking dogs seldom bite”
– German: “Hunde, die bellen, beißen nicht”
– French: “Chien qui aboie ne mord pas”
The idea can be traced back to classical antiquity. In the historical work of the Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus, the sentence “Canis timidus vehementius latrat quam mordet” (“A frightened dog barks more fiercely than it bites”) appears, a passage from Book VII, Chapter 4, verse 13 of his work on the campaigns of Alexander the Great. Through popular usage and later collections of proverbs (such as Erasmus’s “Adagia” in the 16th century), this classical comparison has spread throughout Europe and eventually found a permanent place in Dutch as well. Author:
No specific author of the saying itself can be identified — it is centuries-old folk heritage and is included in virtually all major dictionaries of proverbs.
However, there is an identifiable source for the underlying Latin phrase: Quintus Curtius Rufus, a Roman historian (presumably active in the 1st century AD, although the exact dating is disputed among classicists). He wrote “Historiae Alexandri Magni”, a historical work about Alexander the Great, in which the aforementioned phrase appears. Important to note: this is a historical prose work, not a poem — the concise, proverbial form as it circulates today has been slightly modified over the centuries compared to the original.
Parum sibi consulit aegrotus qui medicum heredem facit.
The proverb means: A patient who makes the doctor his heir is essentially signaling that he expects death, not recovery.
Therefore, it implies: Such a patient is not likely to recover, because making a will for the doctor suggests the person believes they won’t live long.
🌍 Origin:
It originates from Latin Roman moral/proverb tradition (short sententious sayings), where health and fate were often discussed through warnings and ethical maxims.
(“does little for himself… who makes the doctor his heir”).
✍️ Author: Publius Syrus (1st century BC),
a Roman author known for moral sayings/epigrams (sententiae) that later became proverbial.
Cucullus non facit monachum.
This proverb means that outward appearances don’t reflect inner character — a person’s clothing, title, or external attributes don’t determine who they truly are. Someone can dress or look the part without actually being what they appear to be. It’s a caution against judging people (or things) by superficial qualities alone.
It’s closely related to the more common English saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Origin:
The expression has medieval Latin roots: “cucullus non facit monachum” — literally, “the hood does not make the monk.” In monasteries, the cowl (a distinctive hooded robe) was the visible mark of a monk’s identity and devotion. The proverb warned that simply wearing the habit didn’t make someone truly pious or virtuous — the spiritual life had to be lived inwardly.
The Latin form was widespread across medieval Europe and appeared in various languages:
French: “L’habit ne fait pas le moine”
Italian: “L’abito non fa il monaco”
Spanish: “El hábito no hace al monje”
Authorship:
It has no single author — it’s a traditional proverb of medieval clerical culture, passed down orally and in written collections. However, several notable attributions exist: Often attributed to Cato the Younger, a Roman senator and writer.
William Shakespeare used a version of it in “Othello” (c. 1603): “I am not what I am” reflects the same idea, and in Measure for Measure he wrote more directly on the theme of habit vs. character.
Erasmus included the Latin form “cucullus non facit monachum” in his “Adagia” (1500), a famous collection of classical proverbs, which helped spread it across Renaissance Europe.
The phrase also appears in earlier English literature, notably in William Langland’s Piers Plowman (c. 1370s).
So while Erasmus is often credited with popularizing it in its written form, the saying belongs to the collective wisdom of medieval Europe rather than any one author.
Non omnia possumus omnes.
– Literal translation: “We all cannot do all things.”
– Natural English meaning: “Not everyone can do everything.”
– It expresses the idea that:
– everyone has limits,
– people have different talents and abilities,
– no one is capable of mastering or accomplishing everything.
🏛️ Origin:
– The phrase comes from ‘classical Latin literature’.
– It appears in “Virgil’s Eclogues”, also called the “Bucolics”.
✍️ Author:
– Publius Vergilius Maro, known in English as Virgil or Vergil
– Dates: 70–19 BCE
– Work: “Eclogues” / “Bucolics”
– Reference: “Eclogue 8, line 63”
🧠 Notes:
– The phrase later became a proverbial saying or motto.
– It is often used to counsel humility or acceptance of human limitations.
Nemo judex in causa sua.
Literal translation:
“No one should be a judge in their own case.”
General meaning: A person should not make decisions in a matter where they have a personal interest, because it creates bias or a conflict of interest.
🏛️ Origin:
The saying is a Latin legal maxim rooted in principles of natural justice.
It is strongly associated with Roman law and later became important in English common law.
✍️ Author:
‘There is no single known author’ of the exact phrase.
A famous related form was used by Sir Edward Coke, an English jurist, in the principle that no person should be judge in their own cause.
Fronti nulla fides.
– Literal translation: “No trust to the face/front.”
– Natural English meaning:
– “Appearances are deceptive.”
– “Do not trust outward appearances.”
– “You cannot judge a person by their face/look.”
🏛️ Origin:
– This is a ‘Latin phrase’ from ‘Roman literature’.
– It is generally attributed to Juvenal (Decimus Junius Juvenalis), the Roman satirical poet.
– It comes from his “Satires”.
✍️ Author: Juvenal
– Work: “Satires”
– The phrase is commonly cited as:
– “Fronti nulla fides.”
🧠 Sense of the expression:
– The word “fronti” comes from “frons”, which can mean:
– ‘forehead’
– ‘face’
– ‘outward appearance’
– So the phrase warns that:
– someone may ‘look honest but not be honest’
– the ‘external appearance does not reveal the ’true character’
✅ In simple modern English
– ‘Don’t judge by appearances.’
– ‘Looks can be misleading.’
Inter superbos semper iurgia sunt.
Biblical/proverbial tradition: traditionally Solomon
Superbia ante ruinam.
“Pride goes before a fall.”
Omnia mors aequat.
Origin: The phrase originates from the Roman poet Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, better known as Lucan, who lived during the 1st century AD. It appears in his epic poem “Pharsalia,” also known as “De Bello Civili” (On the Civil War). The poem details the conflict between Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great). In “Pharsalia,” Lucan uses the phrase “Omnia mors aequat” to highlight the point that even the most powerful and influential figures are not exempt from the grasp of death. It serves as a philosophical reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the futility of human ambition in the face of mortality. Key aspects of the phrase “Omnia mors aequat”: Universality: Death is an inevitable part of the human experience that affects everyone, regardless of their station in life. Equality: In death, all social, economic, and political distinctions disappear. Mortality: The phrase serves as a poignant reminder of our limited time on earth. Humility: Understanding that death is the ultimate equalizer can foster humility and a greater appreciation for the present moment. The enduring popularity of the phrase “Omnia mors aequat” is a testament to its profound and timeless message. It continues to resonate with people across cultures and generations, offering a somber yet insightful perspective on the human condition.
Exempla docent.
Pons asinorum.
Diabolus est Dei simia; Satan simia Dei.
Author 👤: No unique author: It is a traditional, early Christian saying. Early attestations / attributions: Tertullian (c. 160–220): often cited as a source of the formulation/idea. Augustine (354–430): extensively develops the imitation motif. Luther (1483–1546): widely popularized the saying in German. Variants and translations 🌍: Latin: Diabolus est Dei simia; Satan simia Dei. German: Der Teufel ist Gottes Affe. English: The devil is God’s ape/monkey. Dutch: De Duivel is Gods aap. Examples of use 📎: Warning against “false” sacraments or miracles that imitate true religion. Criticism of pseudo-piety or ideological copies of Christian truths. General: Indication that evil often masquerades as something good. Further reading 📚: Tertullian, De Baptismo (on demonic imitation of rituals). Augustine, De civitate Dei and other works (on demons and imitation). Martin Luther, sermons, and Tischreden (where the German form appears frequently).
In flagranti delicto.
Sed fugit irreparabile tempus.
Tempus fugit
Ex toto corde et anima tua.
Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur.
Ars est exercendo.
Fertilior seges est alienes semper in agris.
Optima sunt gratuita.
Quod medicina aliis. aliis est acre venenum.
Quod me non necat me certe confirmat.
Dimidium facti, qui coepit, habet.
Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur.
Acta non verba.
Veritas vincit.
Nullae litterae, bonae litterae.
Malum venit cum sociis.
Praemonitus, praemunitus.
Ut sementem feceris, ita metes.
Fallacia enim est bona fama.
Silentium aureum.
Non omne quod nitet aurum est.
Dimidium facti, qui, habet.
Homo fugit velut umbra.
Martino Pietropoli
In cauda venenum.
Argumenta, morum ex minimis quoque licet capere.
