Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis
“Diseases of the mind are more numerous and more harmful than those of the body.”
Cicero, Tusculan Disputations 3.5
What does “Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis” mean?
Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis translates as “Diseases of the mind are more numerous and more harmful than those of the body.”
Troubles of the mind can do more damage than physical illness and deserve as much care.
“Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Morbi | diseases | nominative plural (masculine) of morbus, “disease”; the subject of the sentence |
| perniciosiores | more destructive | comparative adjective, nominative plural masculine, from perniciosus, “destructive, harmful”; agrees with morbi |
| pluresque | and more numerous | plures, nominative plural of the comparative plus, “more”, with the suffix -que, “and”; agrees with morbi |
| sunt | are | third person plural, present indicative active, of sum, “I am” |
| animi | of the mind | genitive singular of animus, “mind, soul”; the diseases of the mind |
| quam | than | conjunction used after a comparative |
| corporis | of the body | genitive singular of corpus, “body”; understood as “than those of the body” |
How to pronounce “Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis”
The two differ mainly in the c of perniciosiores: a hard k in Classical, ch in Church Latin. The long word is stressed on the -OH- syllable (perniciosiores), and in pluresque the stress falls on the first syllable (PLOO), because the ending -que never takes the stress itself.
The story behind it
Word for word the sentence says that diseases are “more harmful and more numerous” of the mind than of the body. Cicero compares the illnesses of the soul with those of the body and claims that the first kind is both more frequent and more dangerous.
The line comes from the Tusculan Disputations, a work in five books in which Cicero discusses questions of philosophy such as death, pain, grief and the passions. In book 3, which deals with distress of mind, he presents philosophy as the medicine of the soul.
Because of this image the quote is often used in discussions of mental health and self-knowledge. It is also a good example of the old idea that the care of the mind deserves as much attention as the care of the body.
How to use “Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis”
A fitting caption or card message for a friend who is struggling, a motto for a desk or notebook on the importance of mental well-being, or an epigraph for an essay on philosophy as therapy. It is quite long for a tattoo, but it works for those who want a longer text.
- Latin
- Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis
- English
- Diseases of the mind are more numerous and more harmful than those of the body.
- Source
- Cicero, Tusculan Disputations 3.5
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Wisdom
Common mistakes
- The genitives animi and corporis do not mean “mind and body” as a pair, but “of the mind” and “of the body”. The diseases belong to each.
- The -que in pluresque means “and”: it is attached to plures, not a separate word. Without it, “more harmful” and “more numerous” are no longer joined.
- Do not translate morbi as “moods” or “worries” only. It is the ordinary Latin word for disease, used here in a figurative sense for the passions of the mind.
- Shortened forms of the quote found online sometimes drop a word or change the order. If you use it for a tattoo, copy the full wording exactly.
Questions about “Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis”
What does “Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis” mean?
It means that diseases of the mind are more numerous and more harmful than those of the body. Cicero uses the comparison to argue that the soul needs care and healing as much as the body does.
Who said “Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis”?
Cicero, the Roman orator and philosopher, in the Tusculan Disputations, book 3, section 5.
How do you pronounce “Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis”?
In Classical Latin: MOR-bee per-nee-kee-OH-see-oh-rays PLOO-rays-kweh soont AH-nee-mee kwahm KOR-poh-ris. In Church Latin the c of perniciosiores is soft, as in “ch”.
Is “Morbi perniciosiores pluresque sunt animi quam corporis” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is genuine Latin taken from a classical text. It is long, so check the spelling carefully and keep the full wording, including the -que on pluresque.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
Related Latin quotes
One Latin line. Every Monday.
A quote, its translation and the story behind it, free in your inbox.
