Favete linguis
“Hold your tongues.”
Horace, Odes 3.1.2
What does “Favete linguis” mean?
Favete linguis translates as “Hold your tongues.”
Be silent for something important. The phrase asks for respectful silence.
“Favete linguis” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Favete | show favour! keep silent! | a command (imperative, plural) of faveo, “I favour”; to a group of people. In ritual use it means to keep a reverent silence |
| linguis | with your tongues | dative plural of lingua, “tongue”; the dative here goes with the verb, giving roughly “be kind with your tongues” |
How to pronounce “Favete linguis”
The difference is the v, which sounds like w in Classical and like v in Church Latin. In the Classical version the n in linguis is also pronounced as in “sing”. Stress the second syllable of favete and the first of linguis.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “favour with your tongues”, which in practice means “keep a reverent silence”. Favere was the word for being well disposed, and in a religious setting that meant using no word that could spoil the moment.
Romans called for this silence before a sacrifice so that no ill-omened word would disturb the ritual. The call to silence belonged to the language of Roman religion long before it reached literature.
The line comes from Horace, Odes 3.1.2, the opening poem of the third book. There it is addressed to the readers, who are asked to hear his verses like a congregation at a rite. Later writers kept the phrase as a polite call for quiet at a solemn moment.
How to use “Favete linguis”
Suits a tattoo or motto about restraint and thinking before you speak, a caption for a quiet or solemn moment, or a card message that asks for respectful attention. It also works as a dry joke at the start of a talk or a meeting.
- Latin
- Favete linguis
- English
- Hold your tongues.
- Source
- Horace, Odes 3.1.2
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Silence
Common mistakes
- It does not mean “shut up” in a rude sense. It is a formal, ritual call for respectful silence.
- It is plural, addressed to several people. To one person you would say fave lingua.
- Do not translate it as “speak well” or “bless with your tongue”. That reads favete too freely and loses the sense of silence.
Questions about “Favete linguis”
What does “Favete linguis” mean literally?
Literally “favour with your tongues”. In Roman ritual it meant keeping a reverent silence so that no ill-omened word was spoken.
Who said “Favete linguis”?
It appears in Horace, Odes 3.1.2, at the start of the third book. The call itself is older and belonged to Roman religious practice.
How do you pronounce “Favete linguis”?
In Classical Latin it is fah-WEH-teh LING-gwees. In Church Latin it is fah-VEH-teh LEEN-gwees.
Is “Favete linguis” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is correct and taken from a real source. It is plural, so it addresses a group rather than one person.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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