What does “Esse quam videri” mean?

“Esse quam vidērī” means “To be, rather than to seem”. Sallust says Cato 'preferred to be good rather than to seem so'.

Who said “Esse quam videri”?

after Sallust, The War with Catiline 54.6, where the Latin reads “esse quam vidērī bonus mālēbat”.

Esse quam vidērī

“To be, rather than to seem”

ESSE · QVAM · VIDERI

Adapted: a later form of a classical line

after Sallust, The War with Catiline 54.6

esse quam vidērī bonus mālēbat

Sallust says Cato 'preferred to be good rather than to seem so'.

Word by word

Essesum essebe, exist; fut. infin. often = fore, impf. subj. often = forem for essempres. act. inf.
quamquī -ae -odwho, which, whatsg. acc. f.
vidērīvideō -ēreseepres. pass. 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 wording Open it in the reader

Quick answers

What does “Esse quam videri” mean?: “Esse quam vidērī” means “To be, rather than to seem”. Sallust says Cato 'preferred to be good rather than to seem so'.
Who said “Esse quam videri”?: after Sallust, The War with Catiline 54.6, where the Latin reads “esse quam vidērī bonus mālēbat”.