LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum

Dulce et decōrum est prō patriā morī

“It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country”

DVLCE · ET · DECORVM · EST · PRO · PATRIA · MORI

Classical: the author's own words

Horace, Odes 3.2.13

Made famous again, bitterly, by Wilfred Owen's poem of 1917.

Word by word

  1. Dulcedulcis -esweetsg. nom. n.
  2. etetand
  3. decōrumdecōrus -a -umbecoming, fitting, proper, suitablesg. acc. m.
  4. estsum essebe, exist; fut. infin. often = fore, impf. subj. often = forem for essem3rd sg. pres. act. ind.
  5. prōprōfor, on behalf of, in proportion to (+abl.)
  6. patriāpatria -ae f.fatherland, countrysg. nom.
  7. morīmorior -īdiepres. act. inf.

Using it as a motto or tattoo

Latin endings carry gender and number, so a saying about one person may need changing for another. Check your own version, or have three new ones composed, on the motto desk.

Check this wordingOpen it in the reader

Quick answers

What does “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” mean?
“Dulce et decōrum est prō patriā morī” means “It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country”. Made famous again, bitterly, by Wilfred Owen's poem of 1917.
Who said “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori”?
Horace, Odes 3.2.13.

Related sayings