Davus sum, non Oedipus
“I am Davus, not Oedipus.”
Terence, Andria 194
What does “Davus sum, non Oedipus” mean?
Davus sum, non Oedipus translates as “I am Davus, not Oedipus.”
Said when you are asked to solve a riddle you cannot: ‘I am an ordinary person, not a genius.’ It is a humble, humorous way to admit you do not understand something.
“Davus sum, non Oedipus” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Davus | Davus | nominative singular of Davus, a common slave name in Roman comedy; the name of the speaker |
| sum | I am | first person singular present indicative of sum, esse, “to be” |
| non | not | adverb of negation, here setting Davus against Oedipus |
| Oedipus | Oedipus | nominative singular of Oedipus, the mythical king of Thebes who solved the Sphinx’s riddle; the “I am” is understood |
How to pronounce “Davus sum, non Oedipus”
Davus is stressed on the first syllable, so Classical has a w sound (DAH-woos) and Church Latin a v sound (DAH-voos). Oedipus is also stressed on the first syllable. The Church version softens the vowel a little (EH-dee-poos).
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “Davus I am, not Oedipus”. It comes from Terence’s comedy Andria, first staged in 166 BC. Davus is a slave in the play, and Oedipus is the hero of Greek myth who solved the riddle of the Sphinx.
In the scene Davus’s master hints at something without saying it outright. Davus replies that he is no Oedipus and cannot guess riddles, so the master must speak plainly. The joke is that a clever slave claims to be ordinary.
The line became a stock phrase in Latin and later in European languages. People use it, often with a smile, when they are handed a puzzle or a hint they cannot decode.
How to use “Davus sum, non Oedipus”
A good reply when someone speaks in riddles, sends a puzzle or leaves a vague hint you cannot read. It also works as a light, self-mocking line in a speech, a note to a friend or a social media caption.
- Latin
- Davus sum, non Oedipus
- English
- I am Davus, not Oedipus.
- Source
- Terence, Andria 194
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Humor
Common mistakes
- Davus is a personal name, not a Latin word for “ordinary man”. Do not translate it as “I am a simple man” word for word.
- The line is spoken as a joke, so it does not really claim stupidity. Davus is a sly slave, not a fool.
- It is often misquoted as “Davus sum, non Oedipus” without its source. The correct source is Terence, Andria, not a Greek or Roman philosopher.
- The ending of Oedipus stays the same when you change the speaker. To say “I am Marcus, not Oedipus”, replace only Davus: “Marcus sum, non Oedipus”.
Questions about “Davus sum, non Oedipus”
What does “Davus sum, non Oedipus” mean literally?
“I am Davus, not Oedipus.” Davus is a stock name for a Roman slave, and Oedipus is the man who solved the Sphinx’s riddle.
Who said “Davus sum, non Oedipus”?
The slave Davus says it in Terence’s comedy Andria, line 194. It is a line from a play, not a saying by a real historical person.
How do you pronounce “Davus sum, non Oedipus”?
In Classical Latin it is DAH-woos soom nohn EH-dih-poos. In Church Latin the v is a true v, so DAH-voos.
Can I change the name for a tattoo or a gift?
Yes. Replace Davus with the right name in the nominative, for example “Marcus sum, non Oedipus”. Keep sum and non Oedipus as they are.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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