Admiror, paries, te non cecidisse ruinis, qui tot scriptorum taedia sustineas
“I marvel, O wall, that you have not collapsed in ruins, since you bear the tedious scribblings of so many writers.”
Pompeii graffito (CIL IV 1904)
What does “Admiror, paries, te non cecidisse ruinis, qui tot scriptorum taedia sustineas” mean?
Admiror, paries, te non cecidisse ruinis, qui tot scriptorum taedia sustineas translates as “I marvel, O wall, that you have not collapsed in ruins, since you bear the tedious scribblings of so many writers.”
A wall covered in graffiti complains, so to speak, about the bad writing it must carry. It is a witty reminder that people have always loved to scribble on walls, and that not all of it is worth reading.
The story behind it
This couplet was scratched on walls at Pompeii, where it was found in several places; it survived thanks to the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79.
How to use “Admiror, paries, te non cecidisse ruinis, qui tot scriptorum taedia sustineas”
A perfect sign for a guestbook wall, a chalkboard or a street-art exhibition.
- Latin
- Admiror, paries, te non cecidisse ruinis, qui tot scriptorum taedia sustineas
- English
- I marvel, O wall, that you have not collapsed in ruins, since you bear the tedious scribblings of so many writers.
- Source
- Pompeii graffito (CIL IV 1904)
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Humor
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