Et adhuc sub iudice lis est
“And the case is still before the judge.”
Horace, Ars Poetica 78
What does “Et adhuc sub iudice lis est” mean?
Et adhuc sub iudice lis est translates as “And the case is still before the judge.”
The question is still undecided; the debate is not over.
“Et adhuc sub iudice lis est” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Et | and | conjunction; here “and yet”, adding a further point |
| adhuc | still, even now | adverb of time |
| sub | under, before | preposition taking the ablative; here it means “under the eye of” |
| iudice | the judge | ablative singular of iudex, “judge”; masculine (third declension) |
| lis | the lawsuit, the dispute | nominative singular of lis, litis, “lawsuit, dispute”; feminine, subject of est |
| est | is | third person singular present indicative of sum, “I am” |
How to pronounce “Et adhuc sub iudice lis est”
The main differences are in adhuc (Classical h sounds like a faint h, Church drops it), iudice (Classical YOO-dih-keh, Church yoo-DEE-cheh, with the stress moving) and the initial i, which is a y sound in both. In Classical Latin the stress in iudice falls on the first syllable.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “and still under the judge the lawsuit is”. The phrase sub iudice, “before the judge”, is an old legal idiom for a matter awaiting a ruling.
The line is from Horace’s Ars Poetica, a verse letter on the art of poetry, written in the first century BC. Horace is discussing who first used elegiac couplets and notes that scholars disagree, so the question is still open.
Because Horace uses it for a scholarly quarrel rather than a courtroom case, the line has long been quoted for any dispute that nobody has yet settled. The shorter sub iudice is still used in modern law, for a case that is under judicial consideration.
How to use “Et adhuc sub iudice lis est”
Suited to an essay or speech about an unresolved debate, a caption for an open question, or a motto for someone who enjoys arguments that never quite end. It fits a legal setting less literally, since Horace meant a scholarly dispute.
- Latin
- Et adhuc sub iudice lis est
- English
- And the case is still before the judge.
- Source
- Horace, Ars Poetica 78
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Justice
Common mistakes
- The quote is often taken to be about a court case, but in Horace it describes scholars arguing over who invented a verse form.
- Sub iudice takes the ablative (iudice). Writing sub iudicem would change the grammar and sense.
- Lis is a feminine noun, so lis est cannot be changed to “lis sunt” for one dispute; the plural “lites” would take sunt.
- The modern legal phrase sub iudice often means a case that may not be commented on publicly, which is not part of Horace’s meaning.
Questions about “Et adhuc sub iudice lis est”
What does “Et adhuc sub iudice lis est” mean literally?
“And still under the judge the lawsuit is”, that is, “and the case is still before the judge”. It means the matter is not yet decided.
Who said “Et adhuc sub iudice lis est”?
It comes from Horace’s Ars Poetica, line 78, written in the first century BC.
How do you pronounce “Et adhuc sub iudice lis est”?
In Classical Latin: et AD-hook soob YOO-dih-keh lees est. In Church Latin: et AD-ook soob yoo-DEE-cheh lees est.
Is “Et adhuc sub iudice lis est” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is correct Horatian Latin. Be aware that it is a fairly obscure line, and its original context is scholarly rather than legal.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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