Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque
“I make free adults out of children by means of books and a balance.”
Motto of St. John’s College, Annapolis
What does “Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque” mean?
Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque translates as “I make free adults out of children by means of books and a balance.”
The playful motto uses four similar Latin words to say that reading and careful weighing of ideas turn young people into free, thinking adults. It is a compact case for liberal education.
“Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Facio | I make | first person singular present active indicative of facio, “to make, to do” |
| liberos | free (adults) | accusative plural masculine of liber, “free”, used as a noun: free people; direct object of facio |
| ex | out of | preposition taking the ablative |
| liberis | children | ablative plural of liberi, “children” (always plural); means “out of children” |
| libris | by means of books | ablative plural of liber, “book”; ablative of means |
| libraque | and by means of a balance | libra, “balance, pair of scales” (ablative singular), plus -que, “and”, attached to the word |
How to pronounce “Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque”
The two systems differ only in the c of facio (hard k in Classical, ch in Church). Liber, liberos and liberis are stressed on the first syllable, and libraque on the second-to-last (LEE-brah-kweh).
The story behind it
Word for word the motto says “I make free people out of children by means of books and a balance.” The wordplay rests on two different words that look almost the same: liber, “free”, and liber, “book”. A third relative, liberi, means “children”, and libra means “balance”.
It is the motto of St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, which is known for teaching its students through a great-books curriculum. The balance stands for reasoning and judgment.
As a modern college motto it is not a quotation from an ancient author. It borrows the classical idea of a liberal education, learning that makes a person free in mind.
How to use “Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque”
A witty bookplate, library sign or classroom motto for lovers of wordplay and great books. It also suits an essay or speech on liberal education.
- Latin
- Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque
- English
- I make free adults out of children by means of books and a balance.
- Source
- Motto of St. John’s College, Annapolis
- Era
- Modern Latin
- Theme
- Learning
Common mistakes
- The three liber- words are different words: liberos is “free (people)”, liberis is “children” and libris is “books”. Mixing up the endings changes the meaning.
- Libraque is two words fused: libra, “balance”, and -que, “and”. It is not a separate word “libraque”.
- It is a modern motto, not a saying from Cicero or another ancient author.
- Liberis can also be the ablative plural of liber in other contexts (“to the free” or “to the books”), so the sense depends on the sentence; here it means “children”.
Questions about “Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque”
What does “Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque” mean literally?
“I make free people out of children by means of books and a balance.” The balance suggests careful judgment.
Who said “Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque”?
It is the motto of St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, not a quotation from an ancient author.
Why does the Latin repeat so many similar words?
It is deliberate wordplay on liber (free, or book), liberi (children) and libra (balance). The pun is the point of the motto.
How do you pronounce “Facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque”?
Classical: FAH-kee-oh LEE-beh-ros eks LEE-beh-rees LEE-brees LEE-brah-kweh. In Church Latin the first word starts with FAH-chee-oh.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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