Nīl dēspērandum
“Never despair”
NIL · DESPERANDVM
Horace, Odes 1.7.27
nīl dēspērandum Teucrō duce et auspice TeucrōTeucer encourages his men in exile: 'nothing is to be despaired of with Teucer as leader'.
Word by word
- Nīlnihilnothing; not at all
- dēspērandumdēspērō -āreto have no hope ofacc. gerund
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.
Quick answers
- What does “Nil desperandum” mean?
- “Nīl dēspērandum” means “Never despair”. Teucer encourages his men in exile: 'nothing is to be despaired of with Teucer as leader'.
- Who said “Nil desperandum”?
- Horace, Odes 1.7.27, where the Latin reads “nīl dēspērandum Teucrō duce et auspice Teucrō”.
Related sayings
- Fortēs fortūna iuvatFortune helps the brave
- Audentēs fortūna iuvatFortune helps those who dare
- Dum spīrō, spērōWhile I breathe, I hope
- Forsan et haec ōlim meminisse iuvābitPerhaps one day it will be a joy to remember even this
- Possunt, quia posse videnturThey can because they think they can
- Ūna salūs victīs nūllam spērāre salūtemThe one hope of the defeated is to hope for none