Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra
“There is wrongdoing both inside the walls of Troy and outside them.”
Horace, Epistles 1.2.16
What does “Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra” mean?
Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra translates as “There is wrongdoing both inside the walls of Troy and outside them.”
In any conflict, both sides are usually at fault. The line warns against seeing one party as wholly innocent and the other as wholly guilty, which is as true in family quarrels and office disputes as in war.
“Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Iliacos | of Ilium, Trojan | accusative masculine plural of the adjective Iliacus, “of Ilium (Troy)”; agrees with muros |
| intra | inside, within | preposition taking the accusative |
| muros | walls | accusative masculine plural of murus, “wall”; object of intra |
| peccatur | wrong is done | present passive (impersonal) of pecco, “I do wrong, I err”; literally “it is erred”, so “wrongdoing happens” |
| et | and | conjunction linking intra muros and extra |
| extra | outside | preposition or adverb; here an adverb, with muros understood from the first half |
How to pronounce “Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra”
The two pronunciations differ only slightly here: in the Classical version the c in Iliacos is always hard (k), and the Ecclesiastical version makes the first I a clean ee. The stress falls on -a- in Iliacos and on -ca- in peccatur.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “within the walls of Ilium wrong is done, and outside”, meaning that both sides in the Trojan War were at fault. Ilium is another name for Troy, which is why the adjective is Iliacus, “Trojan”.
It comes from Horace’s Epistles, a collection of verse letters. In the second letter of Book 1 he comments on Homer’s Iliad, which he says teaches more about right and wrong than many philosophers do. Its Greeks and Trojans alike are driven by folly, passion and pride.
The line is quoted today whenever blame in a dispute is shared. It is used for wars and also for quarrels in families, offices and politics.
How to use “Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra”
Fits a mediator’s or negotiator’s office, a history or politics lesson on the causes of conflict, or an essay arguing that no side in a dispute is wholly innocent. It also works as a quiet reminder to yourself in a family quarrel.
- Latin
- Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra
- English
- There is wrongdoing both inside the walls of Troy and outside them.
- Source
- Horace, Epistles 1.2.16
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Wisdom
Common mistakes
- It does not say that the Trojans were wrong and the Greeks right, or the reverse. The point is that both sides did wrong.
- Peccatur is impersonal passive: there is no subject like “people”. Translating it as “sins are committed” is acceptable, but “they sin” misses the grammar.
- Iliacos agrees with muros, so it must be accusative plural. Writing Iliacus or Iliaca muros is incorrect.
- Do not drop the second half. “Iliacos intra muros peccatur” alone says only that wrong is done inside Troy, and loses the balance of the line.
Questions about “Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra”
What does “Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra” mean literally?
“Within the Trojan walls wrong is done, and outside as well.” In natural English: there is fault on both sides.
Who said “Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra”?
The Roman poet Horace, in his Epistles 1.2.16, in a letter about Homer’s Iliad.
How do you pronounce “Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra”?
In Classical Latin: ih-lee-AH-kohs IN-trah MOO-rohs pek-KAH-toor et EKS-trah. The Ecclesiastical version is nearly the same, but starts with ee-lee-AH-kohs.
Is “Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra” good for a tattoo?
The Latin is correct and well attested. It is a long line, so check that you are happy with a message about shared guilt rather than a motto of strength or victory.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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