Aquila non capit muscas
“The eagle does not catch flies.”
Latin proverb (Erasmus, Adagia)
What does “Aquila non capit muscas” mean?
Aquila non capit muscas translates as “The eagle does not catch flies.”
Important people – and big minds – don’t waste their time on trivial things.
“Aquila non capit muscas” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Aquila | the eagle | nominative singular feminine of aquila, “eagle”; the subject of the sentence |
| non | not | adverb of negation; it comes right before the verb it negates |
| capit | catches, takes | 3rd person singular present indicative active of capio, “I take, catch, seize” |
| muscas | flies | accusative plural feminine of musca, “fly”; the direct object of capit |
How to pronounce “Aquila non capit muscas”
The two differ only slightly: in Classical Latin aquila has a short i and a kw sound (AH-kwih-lah), while in Church Latin the i is pronounced like “ee”, and the sc in muscas sounds like sk in both. Stress aquila on the first syllable, capit on the first and muscas on the first.
The story behind it
Word for word the proverb says “the eagle does not catch flies”. It sounds like a remark about birds, but it is a proverb about status and priorities: a creature built for bigger prey does not chase insects.
It is attributed in this form to the humanist Erasmus, who collected it in his Adagia, his great compilation of classical and popular proverbs first published in the early 1500s. The proverb was already in circulation before him, so this is a collected saying rather than his own invention.
Because the eagle is a classic symbol of power and nobility, the saying was easy to adopt as a motto. Versions of it appear on coats of arms, and it is still quoted today to describe someone who rises above petty quarrels.
How to use “Aquila non capit muscas”
A fitting motto for a desk, a graduation or job-promotion card, or a tattoo for someone who wants to stay focused on big goals. It also works as a quiet caption when you decide to ignore a trivial argument.
- Latin
- Aquila non capit muscas
- English
- The eagle does not catch flies.
- Source
- Latin proverb (Erasmus, Adagia)
- Era
- Renaissance
- Theme
- Ambition
Common mistakes
- The verb is capit (“catches”), not capet or capiet. Changing the ending changes the tense or breaks the grammar.
- It does not mean eagles are unable to catch flies. It means they do not stoop to it, so it is about choice, not ability.
- Do not credit it to Erasmus as its author. He recorded the proverb in the Adagia, but it is older folk wisdom.
- The noun is muscas (accusative plural, the object). Writing muscae or musca would be a grammatical error here.
Questions about “Aquila non capit muscas”
What does “Aquila non capit muscas” mean literally?
“The eagle does not catch flies.” It is used figuratively to say that great people do not bother with petty matters.
Who said “Aquila non capit muscas”?
It is a Latin proverb, collected by Erasmus in his Adagia in the Renaissance. It has no single known author.
How do you pronounce “Aquila non capit muscas”?
In Classical Latin: AH-kwih-lah nohn KAH-pit MOOS-kahs. In Church Latin the i in aquila sounds like “ee”: AH-kwee-lah nohn KAH-pit MOO-skahs.
Is “Aquila non capit muscas” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is a short, grammatical sentence with subject, negation, verb and object, and it is safe to use exactly as written.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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