Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis
“Howl with the wolves you wish to be with.”
Medieval Latin proverb
What does “Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis” mean?
Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis translates as “Howl with the wolves you wish to be with.”
To belong to a group, you adopt its behavior. It can be advice to adapt or a warning against conformity.
“Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ulula | howl! | a command (imperative) of ululo, “to howl”; addressed to one person |
| cum | with | preposition taking the ablative case |
| lupis | wolves | ablative plural of lupus, “wolf”; the ablative after cum means “with” |
| cum | with | preposition taking the ablative case |
| quibus | whom | relative pronoun, ablative plural of qui, “who”; refers back to lupis, “the wolves” |
| esse | to be | present infinitive of sum, “I am” |
| cupis | you wish | second person singular, present indicative active of cupio, “to wish, to desire” |
How to pronounce “Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis”
The two systems sound almost the same here. The only difference is the qu in quibus, which is a clear kw in Classical and a softer kv-like sound in Church Latin. The stress falls on the first syllable of ulula, lupis, esse and cupis.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “howl with the wolves, with whom you wish to be”. It is a medieval Latin proverb, and the matching rhymes in lupis and cupis show it was made to be remembered and repeated.
The advice is simple: if you want to belong to a group, copy how it behaves. Read cynically it is a call to go along with the crowd, and read practically it is a hint to adapt to your surroundings.
The same idea lives on in the English saying “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” and in the phrase “to howl with the wolves”, which survives in several European languages and is often used as a criticism of conformity.
How to use “Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis”
Works as a wry remark in a talk on peer pressure, office culture or social climbing. It also suits an essay on conformity, or a sarcastic motto for someone who prefers to run with a different pack.
- Latin
- Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis
- English
- Howl with the wolves you wish to be with.
- Source
- Medieval Latin proverb
- Era
- Middle Ages
- Theme
- Society
Common mistakes
- The cum before quibus is a second, separate word. The line is not a single phrase, and dropping either cum breaks the grammar.
- It is not an ancient Roman quote. It comes from the Middle Ages and has no known single author, so do not credit it to a classical writer.
- It does not simply say “howl with the wolves”. The final clause, “with whom you wish to be”, is the point: you copy the group you want to join.
- Changing the number or addressing several people needs a plural command: ululate cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupitis.
Questions about “Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis”
What does “Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis” mean literally?
“Howl with the wolves, with whom you wish to be.” In natural English: howl with the wolves you want to belong to.
Who said “Ulula cum lupis”?
No one known. It is a medieval Latin proverb, not a line from a classical author.
How do you pronounce “Ulula cum lupis”?
In Classical Latin: OO-loo-lah koom LOO-pees. Church Latin sounds nearly the same. Stress the first syllable of ulula and lupis.
Is “Ulula cum lupis” advice or a warning?
It can be either. Some read it as practical advice to fit in with a group, others as a criticism of people who follow the crowd.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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