Carthago delenda est
“Carthage must be destroyed.”
After Cato the Elder (Plutarch, Cato 27)
What does “Carthago delenda est” mean?
Carthago delenda est translates as “Carthage must be destroyed.”
Used today for an idea someone repeats again and again until it happens.
“Carthago delenda est” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Carthago | Carthage | nominative singular (feminine) of Carthago, Carthaginis, the North African city; the subject of the sentence |
| delenda | must be destroyed, is to be destroyed | feminine nominative singular gerundive (future passive participle) of deleo, “I destroy”; agrees with Carthago and carries the sense of obligation |
| est | is | 3rd person singular present indicative of sum, “I am”; together with delenda it forms the passive periphrastic “must be destroyed” |
How to pronounce “Carthago delenda est”
The two systems sound the same here, since there is no c or g before e or i and no v. Stress the second syllable of Carthago and the second of delenda.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “Carthage is to be destroyed”. The gerundive delenda with est expresses necessity, so it reads as a demand: Carthage must be destroyed.
The line is associated with Cato the Elder, a Roman senator and censor. Plutarch (Cato 27) reports that Cato ended every speech in the Senate with this demand, whatever the subject. The Latin wording is the tradition’s classic form, so treat it as a famous summary of Cato’s stance rather than a verbatim quotation.
Rome did destroy Carthage in 146 BC, at the end of the Third Punic War. Today the phrase names any goal pursued relentlessly, a cause someone brings up at every opportunity until it is achieved.
How to use “Carthago delenda est”
It fits a stubborn campaign or a pet cause that you keep raising, in a speech, an essay on persistence, or as a joking motto for a recurring demand. As a tattoo or print it suits history lovers and fans of the Punic Wars.
- Latin
- Carthago delenda est
- English
- Carthage must be destroyed.
- Source
- After Cato the Elder (Plutarch, Cato 27)
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- History
Common mistakes
- The grammar is delenda est, a gerundive of obligation. It is not a plain future or a statement that Carthage is destroyed.
- Delenda must agree with its subject. For a masculine or plural subject it changes, e.g. Troia delenda est becomes hostes delendi sunt.
- The usual full form is “Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam”, “Besides, I propose that Carthage be destroyed”. “Carthago delenda est” is the shortened, popular version.
- Cato did not give this one speech. The tradition says he repeated it at the end of every speech.
Questions about “Carthago delenda est”
What does “Carthago delenda est” mean literally?
“Carthage is to be destroyed”, with the gerundive expressing necessity, so “Carthage must be destroyed”.
Who said “Carthago delenda est”?
It is attributed to Cato the Elder, who according to Plutarch (Cato 27) ended his Senate speeches with this demand.
How do you pronounce “Carthago delenda est”?
Classically: kar-TAH-goh deh-LEN-dah est. The Church pronunciation sounds the same.
Is “Carthago delenda est” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is correct Latin. Keep the three words together, since delenda must agree with Carthago.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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