Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas
“Plato is a friend, but truth is a greater friend.”
Latin saying after Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1.6
What does “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas” mean?
Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas translates as “Plato is a friend, but truth is a greater friend.”
Respect for a teacher or authority must not outweigh loyalty to the truth. It defends honest disagreement with people we admire.
“Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Amicus | friend | nominative singular masculine of amicus, “friend”; the subject of the first clause |
| Plato | Plato | nominative singular of the Greek name Plato; the verb “is” (est) is left out and understood |
| sed | but | conjunction joining the two contrasting clauses |
| magis | more, to a greater degree | adverb, comparative of multum; it makes the second clause stronger |
| amica | a friend (feminine) | nominative singular feminine of amicus; feminine because it agrees with veritas |
| veritas | truth | nominative singular of veritas, veritatis (f.), “truth”; the subject of the second clause, with “is” understood |
How to pronounce “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas”
The two differ in the g of magis (hard g in Classical, soft j in Church) and in the v of veritas (w in Classical, v in Church). The stress falls on the second syllable of amicus and amica, the first of Plato and magis, and the first of veritas.
The story behind it
Word for word the line reads “Plato a friend, but more a friend truth”, with “is” understood in each half. The Latin sets the claim of friendship against the claim of truth and gives truth the greater weight.
The thought goes back to Aristotle. In the Nicomachean Ethics (1.6) he criticises Plato’s theory of Forms and says that, with both friends and truth dear to us, it is right to honour truth above friends.
The neat Latin wording took shape later, in medieval and Renaissance Latin, so it is not a line from Aristotle or Plato themselves. It is often quoted in debates over loyalty to a teacher, a school or an authority.
How to use “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas”
It suits an epigraph for a scientific paper or a critical review, a motto for a student or scholar who has to disagree with a mentor, or a line in a speech about honest criticism. It also works as a short tattoo for someone who values truth over loyalty to any one person.
- Latin
- Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas
- English
- Plato is a friend, but truth is a greater friend.
- Source
- Latin saying after Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1.6
- Era
- Middle Ages
- Theme
- Truth
Common mistakes
- It is not a quotation from Plato or Aristotle. Aristotle supplied the idea, and the Latin sentence came later.
- It does not tell you to drop your friends. It says that when friendship and truth truly conflict, truth should win.
- The second amica is feminine because it agrees with veritas. Writing amicus there would be wrong.
- Do not read Plato as a pun on “flat” or a modern name. It is the philosopher, and the line was aimed at Plato’s own pupils and followers.
Questions about “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas”
What does “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas” mean literally?
“Plato is a friend, but truth is a greater friend.” The verb “is” is not written in Latin but is understood in both halves.
Who said “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas”?
No single known author. It is a Latin saying built on an idea from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics 1.6 and put into this form in medieval and Renaissance Latin.
How do you pronounce “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas”?
Classical: ah-MEE-koos PLAH-toh sed MAH-gees ah-MEE-kah WEH-ree-tahs. In Church Latin, magis becomes MAH-jees and veritas becomes VEH-ree-tahs.
Is “Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. The grammar is sound, with the verb understood and amica agreeing with the feminine veritas. Copy the spelling and the comma exactly.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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