Aes triplex
“Triple bronze.”
Horace, Odes 1.3.9
What does “Aes triplex” mean?
Aes triplex translates as “Triple bronze.”
It describes extraordinary courage or a heart armoured against fear. Today it means toughness and boldness in the face of danger.
“Aes triplex” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Aes | bronze (or copper) | nominative singular neuter of aes, aeris, “bronze, copper”; here the subject of the Latin line |
| triplex | triple, threefold | adjective of triplex, triplicis; nominative singular neuter, agreeing with aes |
How to pronounce “Aes triplex”
In Classical Latin aes is one syllable and sounds like English “ice”. In Church Latin ae is read as “eh”, so aes becomes “ehs”. Stress falls on the first syllable of triplex in both systems.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “triple bronze”. It comes from Horace’s Ode 1.3, a poem written to send his friend Virgil safely across the sea to Greece.
Horace says that oak and triple bronze (robur et aes triplex) must have stood around the heart of the first man who trusted a fragile boat to the savage sea. Bronze was the metal of armour, so the image is of a heart plated against fear.
Later writers kept the phrase as shorthand for fearlessness. Today it is mostly quoted for a bold, hardened courage, and in the full line the bronze comes with oak, which adds toughness to the picture.
How to use “Aes triplex”
A bold motto for a sailor, explorer or anyone about to take on a daunting challenge. It also works in a speech or essay about courage, as a tattoo or as an engraving on a gift for someone starting something risky.
- Latin
- Aes triplex
- English
- Triple bronze.
- Source
- Horace, Odes 1.3.9
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Courage
Common mistakes
- It is a fragment of Horace’s longer line illi robur et aes triplex circa pectus erat. Quoted alone, it loses the oak and the heart.
- Aes is a short word that is easily mistaken for a plural or a verb form. It is a neuter noun, and triplex agrees with it.
- Aes can mean bronze or copper, and in some contexts money. In Horace it means bronze armour, not coins.
- The phrase does not say the person is cruel or heartless. It describes a heart steeled against fear.
Questions about “Aes triplex”
What does “Aes triplex” mean literally?
“Triple bronze”. In Horace it describes a heart armoured with three layers of bronze, a picture of extreme courage.
Who said “Aes triplex”?
It comes from the Roman poet Horace, Odes 1.3.9, where it is part of a longer line about the first sailor.
How do you pronounce “Aes triplex”?
In Classical Latin it is roughly “ICE TRIP-lex”. In Church Latin it is roughly “EH-ess TREE-plex”.
Is “Aes triplex” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the two words are correct Latin and come from a known classical source. Know that it is a fragment of a longer line, so you may want to explain the context.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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