LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum

Fēlīx quī potuit rērum cognōscere causās

“Happy is he who could learn the causes of things”

FELIX · QVI · POTVIT · RERVM · COGNOSCERE · CAVSAS

Classical: the author's own words

Vergil, Georgics 2.490

Vergil's tribute to Lucretius and natural philosophy.

Word by word

  1. Fēlīxfēlīx fēlīcisluckysg. acc. n.
  2. quīquī -ae -odwho, which, whatsg. nom. m.
  3. potuitpossum -ebe able3rd sg. perf. act. ind.
  4. rērumrēs reī f.thing (rēs pūblica, commonwealth; rēs familiāris, family property, estate; rēs mīlitāris, art of war; rēs novae, revolution)pl. gen.
  5. cognōscerecognōscō -erelearn, understand2nd sg. pres. pass. ind.
  6. causāscausa -ae f.cause, reason; causā + preceding genitive, for the sake ofpl. acc.

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.

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Quick answers

What does “Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas” mean?
“Fēlīx quī potuit rērum cognōscere causās” means “Happy is he who could learn the causes of things”. Vergil's tribute to Lucretius and natural philosophy.
Who said “Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas”?
Vergil, Georgics 2.490.

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