Noli turbare circulos meos!
“Do not disturb my circles!”
Attributed to Archimedes (after Valerius Maximus)
What does “Noli turbare circulos meos!” mean?
Noli turbare circulos meos! translates as “Do not disturb my circles!”
Leave me alone while I’m concentrating on my work.
“Noli turbare circulos meos!” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Noli | do not, be unwilling | singular imperative of nolle (nolo, “I am unwilling”); with an infinitive it forms a polite but firm negative command |
| turbare | to disturb | present infinitive active of turbo, turbare, “to disturb, throw into confusion” |
| circulos | circles | accusative plural (direct object) of circulus, “little circle, circle”, masculine |
| meos | my | accusative plural masculine of meus, “my, mine”, agreeing with circulos |
How to pronounce “Noli turbare circulos meos!”
The only real difference is the c of circulos: hard (k) in Classical, “ch” in Ecclesiastical. The stress falls on NO-, -BA-, CIR- and ME-.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “be unwilling to disturb my circles”, which is simply how Latin gives a negative command: noli plus an infinitive means “do not”. The “circles” are the geometrical figures Archimedes was drawing.
Archimedes of Syracuse was the great Greek mathematician and engineer. When Rome took Syracuse in 212 BC, he is said to have been killed by a soldier while absorbed in a diagram. Valerius Maximus tells a version of the story in the 1st century AD, with the words in Latin.
Other ancient writers, such as Livy and Plutarch, tell the death differently, and the crisp Latin wording is a later polish. Treat the line as a famous story rather than a recorded quotation. Today it is a favourite motto for anyone who wants to be left alone to think and work.
How to use “Noli turbare circulos meos!”
A fitting tattoo, desk sign or door card for mathematicians, students and anyone who needs undisturbed time to concentrate. It also works as a humorous caption for a messy study or workshop.
- Latin
- Noli turbare circulos meos!
- English
- Do not disturb my circles!
- Source
- Attributed to Archimedes (after Valerius Maximus)
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Learning
Common mistakes
- It is not a verified quotation: the story of Archimedes’ death comes in several versions, and the exact Latin is a later form.
- Noli is singular. To tell several people, use nolite turbare circulos meos.
- Do not read it as “do not disturb my circle” in the sense of a social circle. Circulos means geometrical circles.
- Word order and endings matter: circulos meos is plural, so changing it to a single circle needs circulum meum.
Questions about “Noli turbare circulos meos!”
What does “Noli turbare circulos meos” mean literally?
“Be unwilling to disturb my circles”, which in natural English is “do not disturb my circles”. Noli plus an infinitive is the Latin way to forbid something.
Who said “Noli turbare circulos meos”?
It is attributed to Archimedes, said to the Roman soldier who killed him at Syracuse in 212 BC. The story goes back to Valerius Maximus, but the exact wording is a later version.
How do you pronounce “Noli turbare circulos meos”?
In Classical Latin: NOH-lee toor-BAH-reh KIR-koo-lohs MEH-ohs. In Ecclesiastical Latin the c is soft: CHEER-koo-lohs.
Is “Noli turbare circulos meos” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is sound. If you are addressing more than one person, change noli to nolite.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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