Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa
“When the cat is caught, the mice dance on the table.”
Medieval Latin proverb
What does “Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa” mean?
Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa translates as “When the cat is caught, the mice dance on the table.”
When the one in charge is away or busy, discipline falls apart.
“Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Fele | cat | ablative singular of feles, “cat”; part of an ablative absolute, “with the cat having been caught” |
| comprehensa | having been caught | ablative singular feminine perfect passive participle (comprehensa) of comprehendo, “I seize, catch”; agrees with fele |
| saltant | dance, leap | third person plural present indicative active of salto, “I dance, leap” |
| mures | mice | nominative plural of mus, “mouse”; the subject of saltant |
| in | on | preposition taking the ablative here, showing where something happens |
| mensa | the table | ablative singular of mensa, “table” |
How to pronounce “Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa”
Both pronunciations sound the same here, since the phrase has no c or g before e or i and no v. Stress the first syllable of fele, the third of comprehensa, the first of saltant and mures, and the first of mensa.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “the cat having been caught, the mice dance on the table”. The first two words form an ablative absolute, a Latin construction that sets the scene before the main action begins.
It is a medieval Latin proverb, the older form of the English saying “when the cat is away, the mice will play”. The two versions differ in detail: the Latin cat is caught, the English cat is merely absent.
The proverb is a small domestic scene that stands for a wider truth: when the person in charge is gone or distracted, the people under them stop following the rules. It is still quoted today, usually with a smile.
How to use “Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa”
A good fit for a joke caption, a note to a team or class left unsupervised, or a card for a boss going on holiday. As a tattoo or motto it only suits someone who wants a humorous, cat-and-mice image.
- Latin
- Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa
- English
- When the cat is caught, the mice dance on the table.
- Source
- Medieval Latin proverb
- Era
- Medieval
- Theme
- Humour
Common mistakes
- The Latin is not a word-for-word match for the English proverb: it says the cat is caught, not simply away.
- Fele is the ablative of feles. Do not change it to “felis” or “felem” in the phrase, as that would break the ablative absolute.
- Comprehensa must agree with fele (feminine ablative singular). Replace the cat with a masculine noun and the ending has to change too.
- It is a medieval proverb, not a line from a Roman author. Do not credit it to Cicero or Virgil.
Questions about “Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa”
What does “Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa” mean literally?
“With the cat caught, the mice dance on the table.” The meaning is that people misbehave once the one in charge is out of the way.
Is “Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa” the same as “When the cat is away, the mice will play”?
It is the Latin ancestor of the same idea, but not an exact match. The Latin says the cat has been caught, while the English only says it is away.
Who said “Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa”?
No single author is known. It is a medieval Latin proverb passed down anonymously.
How do you pronounce “Fele comprehensa saltant mures in mensa”?
In Classical Latin: FEH-leh kom-preh-HEN-sah SAL-tant MOO-rehs in MEN-sah. The Church pronunciation is the same here.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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