Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano
“More fortunate than Augustus, better than Trajan.”
Eutropius, Breviarium 8.5
What does “Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano” mean?
Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano translates as “More fortunate than Augustus, better than Trajan.”
A wish that a new leader will surpass the best leaders of the past.
“Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Felicior | more fortunate, luckier | nominative singular masculine comparative of felix (genitive felicis), “fortunate, lucky”; the -ior ending means “more” |
| Augusto | than Augustus | ablative singular of Augustus, the first Roman emperor; the ablative of comparison, used instead of quam (“than”) |
| melior | better | nominative singular masculine comparative of bonus, “good”; the irregular form meaning “better” |
| Traiano | than Trajan | ablative singular of Traianus, the emperor Trajan; again the ablative of comparison |
How to pronounce “Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano”
The two systems differ only in the c of felicior: hard k in Classical, ch in Church Latin. Stress the second syllable of felicior, the second of Augusto, the first of melior and the second of Traiano.
The story behind it
Word for word the line is a double comparison: “more fortunate than Augustus, better than Trajan”. It is an acclamation, a formula shouted by a crowd or a body of men to greet a ruler.
The source is Eutropius, a Roman historian of the fourth century AD who wrote a short history of Rome, the Breviarium. He reports that this was the Senate’s greeting to later emperors.
Augustus and Trajan stood for the two ideals of the office: Augustus for good fortune and the founding of the empire, Trajan for goodness and just rule. To be called better than both was the highest praise a new emperor could receive, and the formula is still quoted when someone is hoped to outdo the best of their predecessors.
How to use “Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano”
Fits a toast or speech welcoming a new leader, a congratulation to a friend taking on a big role, or a motto for someone who wants to surpass the best examples before them. As a tattoo it reads as a statement of ambition.
- Latin
- Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano
- English
- More fortunate than Augustus, better than Trajan.
- Source
- Eutropius, Breviarium 8.5
- Era
- Late Antiquity
- Theme
- Leadership
Common mistakes
- Do not translate Augusto as “in August” or “of August”. Here it is the emperor’s name, and the ablative case means “than Augustus”.
- Latin has no word for “than” here. The ablative of comparison does that job, so adding quam would change the construction.
- The endings are masculine singular.
- Felicior means “more fortunate”, not “happier” in the modern emotional sense. Felix is about luck and success.
Questions about “Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano”
What does “Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano” mean literally?
“More fortunate than Augustus, better than Trajan.” Each name is in the ablative case, which expresses the comparison.
Who said “Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano”?
The historian Eutropius records it in his Breviarium (8.5) as the Senate’s acclamation for later emperors. It was a ceremonial formula, not one person’s saying.
How do you pronounce “Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano”?
Classical: feh-LEE-kee-or ow-GOOS-toh MEH-lee-or tra-YAH-noh. In Church Latin the c in felicior becomes ch.
Why Augustus and Trajan?
They were remembered as the model emperors: Augustus for fortune and founding the empire, Trajan for goodness as a ruler. Surpassing both was the greatest compliment.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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