Ira deorum
“The wrath of the gods.”
Roman religious concept
What does “Ira deorum” mean?
Ira deorum translates as “The wrath of the gods.”
The belief that disasters are a sign of divine anger.
“Ira deorum” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ira | wrath, anger | nominative singular feminine (first declension) of ira, “anger”; the subject or head noun of the phrase |
| deorum | of the gods | genitive plural of deus, “god” |
How to pronounce “Ira deorum”
Both pronunciations sound the same here. Ira is stressed on its first syllable, and deorum on its second, O, because that vowel is long.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “anger of the gods”. It is not a quotation from one author but a name for a Roman religious idea: that the gods can be angered, and that human misfortune may be the result.
Romans spoke of the pax deorum, the peace of the gods, as the state of good relations between the community and its deities. Plagues, floods, defeats and famines could be read as signs that this peace had broken down.
The response was ritual. Priests and magistrates consulted omens and prodigies, then ordered sacrifices, prayers and festivals to repair the relationship. Roman historians such as Livy describe this pattern again and again.
The phrase is a convenient name for that belief and is used by modern historians of Roman religion; it is not a fixed formula from one ancient text. It also appears in fiction and art that draw on myth.
How to use “Ira deorum”
Fits a caption or title about disaster and divine punishment, an essay on Roman religion or the pax deorum, or a tattoo or print with a mythological or fatalistic theme. It is a description of a belief, so it suits dark, dramatic contexts better than cheerful ones.
- Latin
- Ira deorum
- English
- The wrath of the gods.
- Source
- Roman religious concept
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- Ira deorum is a descriptive phrase, not a famous line by a single ancient author, so do not credit it to Virgil, Livy or anyone else.
- The genitive plural is deorum (or deōrum), not deos or dei. Ira dei would mean the wrath of one god.
- Poets often use the shorter genitive plural deum in place of deorum. Both mean “of the gods”.
- It is not the same as pax deorum, which means the peace of the gods and is the opposite state.
Questions about “Ira deorum”
What does “Ira deorum” mean literally?
“Anger of the gods”, usually translated “the wrath of the gods”. Ira is the noun for anger and deorum is the genitive plural of deus, god.
Who said “Ira deorum”?
No single author. It is a modern label for a Roman religious idea, not a quotation from a particular ancient text.
How do you pronounce “Ira deorum”?
In both Classical and Church Latin it is roughly EE-rah deh-OH-room, with the stress on the second syllable of deorum.
Is “Ira deorum” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is grammatically correct. Keep in mind that it is a descriptive phrase, not an ancient saying, and that deorum stays plural for several gods; for one god use ira dei.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
One Latin line. Every Monday.
A quote, its translation and the story behind it, free in your inbox.