Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus
“Let justice be done, though the world perish.”
Motto of Emperor Ferdinand I
What does “Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus” mean?
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus translates as “Let justice be done, though the world perish.”
Justice must be done whatever the consequences.
“Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Fiat | let it be done, let it happen | third person singular present subjunctive (jussive, a command or wish) of fio, “I am made, I become”; fiat is a classic form for “let it be done” |
| iustitia | justice | nominative singular feminine of iustitia, “justice”; the subject of fiat |
| et | and, even if | conjunction; here it works like “and let”, which carries the sense “though” in English |
| pereat | let it perish | third person singular present subjunctive (jussive) of pereo, “I perish, I am destroyed” |
| mundus | the world | nominative singular masculine of mundus, “world”; the subject of pereat |
How to pronounce “Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus”
The main differences are in iustitia: Classical has the i as a y sound and a hard t, Church Latin has a ts sound (tsee). Stress falls on the first syllable of fiat, the third of iustitia (-TIT- or -TEE-), the first of pereat and the first of mundus.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “let justice be done, and let the world perish”. Both verbs are in the subjunctive, which in Latin can express a command or a wish: justice is to be done, even if the world is lost as a result.
The line is the motto of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor in the 16th century. It is also often quoted in other forms, and some sources give the shorter “Fiat iustitia, pereat mundus”.
Immanuel Kant discussed the saying in his essay “Perpetual Peace” (1795), where he used it to argue that political action must stay within right, whatever the consequences. Since then it has been cited in debates about law, ethics and principle against practicality.
How to use “Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus”
A fitting motto for lawyers, judges, law students or anyone who holds that principle matters more than convenience. It also suits an essay on justice versus consequences, though many readers will take it as a statement of uncompromising principle rather than a literal wish for disaster.
- Latin
- Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus
- English
- Let justice be done, though the world perish.
- Source
- Motto of Emperor Ferdinand I
- Era
- Renaissance
- Theme
- Justice
Common mistakes
- It does not say the world should be destroyed. The second clause is a concession: do justice even if the cost were the world, which is why English uses “though”.
- Fiat is not the car brand or the word fiat money here. It is a form of fio, “let it be done”, the same word as in “fiat lux”, “let there be light”.
- The form “Fiat iustitia, ruat caelum” (“though the heavens fall”) is a different, related saying; the two are often mixed up.
- Spelling is often changed to “justitia” with a j; both spellings appear, but iustitia is the standard Latin form.
Questions about “Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus”
What does “Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus” mean literally?
“Let justice be done, and let the world perish.” In natural English it means justice must be done even if the world is lost as a result.
Who said “Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus”?
It is the motto of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, in the 16th century. Kant later discussed it in his essay “Perpetual Peace”.
How do you pronounce “Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus”?
In Classical Latin: FEE-aht yoos-TIT-ee-ah et PEH-reh-aht MOON-doos. In Church Latin the iustitia part is yoos-TEE-tsee-ah.
Is “Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is correct. It is worth knowing that it states an absolute principle and can be read as harsh, so check that this is the tone you want.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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