Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis
“Almighty Jupiter, favor my bold undertaking.”
Virgil, Aeneid 9.625
What does “Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis” mean?
Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis translates as “Almighty Jupiter, favor my bold undertaking.”
It is a prayer for blessing on a daring venture. It suits anyone about to start something risky and new.
“Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Iuppiter | Jupiter | nominative singular of Iuppiter, king of the gods; here the person addressed (vocative use, same form) |
| omnipotens | almighty | adjective, nominative singular (here vocative use), agreeing with Iuppiter; from omnis, “all”, and potens, “powerful” |
| audacibus | bold | adjective, dative plural (neuter), agreeing with coeptis; from audax, “bold” |
| adnue | nod in favour, favour | singular command (imperative) of adnuo, “I nod to, I approve”; the dative object follows |
| coeptis | undertakings, enterprises | dative plural of coeptum, “an undertaking”, from coepi, “I have begun” |
How to pronounce “Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis”
The main differences are c in audacibus (hard k in Classical, ch in Church), the initial I of Iuppiter (y sound either way, Classical vowel closer to “yoo”) and the diphthong in coeptis (oy in Classical, closer to eh in the Church style, shown here as choy for simplicity).
The story behind it
Word for word the line reads “Almighty Jupiter, nod to bold undertakings”. To “nod” (adnuere) is to show approval by a nod of the head, which is how a god grants a prayer.
It comes from Virgil’s Aeneid, book 9, the epic about Aeneas and the Trojans settling in Italy. Here the young Ascanius, son of Aeneas, prays to Jupiter before shooting an arrow in his first battle.
The wording was adapted for the Great Seal of the United States, whose motto Annuit coeptis (“he has favoured our undertakings”) echoes Virgil’s phrase. Today the full line is quoted for new ventures and daring first steps.
How to use “Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis”
A fitting line for a launch party, an expedition, a speech before a risky new project, or a card for someone starting a bold venture. It also works as a tattoo or motto for someone who prizes daring.
- Latin
- Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis
- English
- Almighty Jupiter, favor my bold undertaking.
- Source
- Virgil, Aeneid 9.625
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Courage
Common mistakes
- Adnue is a command, so it is not “Jupiter favours”. For the statement “he has favoured”, the form is annuit, as on the US seal.
- Audacibus coeptis is dative plural, so do not change one word without changing the other.
- The line is a prayer to Jupiter, so quoting it without the name changes it; adnue alone has no addressee.
- Some editions spell the verb annue and the noun coeptis as cœptis; these are spelling variants, not different words.
Questions about “Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis”
What does “Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis” mean?
“Almighty Jupiter, favour my bold undertaking.” Literally, “nod to bold undertakings”, a prayer for the god’s approval.
Who said “Iuppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis”?
It is spoken by Ascanius in Virgil’s Aeneid, book 9, around line 625, as he prepares to shoot his first arrow in battle.
Is “Annuit coeptis” the same quote?
No. It is a related phrase on the US Great Seal, meaning “he has favoured our undertakings”. It echoes Virgil’s words but is not the same sentence.
How do you pronounce “Iuppiter omnipotens”?
Classical: IOO-pih-ter om-NIH-poh-tens. Church Latin is similar, with the I read as a y sound and the same stress.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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