Numero deus impare gaudet
“The god delights in an odd number.”
Virgil, Eclogues 8.75
What does “Numero deus impare gaudet” mean?
Numero deus impare gaudet translates as “The god delights in an odd number.”
Odd numbers were thought to be lucky and pleasing to the gods. Today it is a playful nod to the charm of threes and sevens.
“Numero deus impare gaudet” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Numero | by number | ablative singular of numerus, “number”; the ablative here works as “in respect of / with regard to” (ablative of respect) |
| deus | the god | nominative singular masculine of deus, “god”; the subject of the sentence |
| impare | odd, uneven | ablative singular neuter of impar, “unequal, odd”; agrees with numero (the ending -e is standard for this adjective in the ablative) |
| gaudet | delights, takes pleasure | 3rd person singular present indicative active of gaudeo, “I rejoice” (a semi-deponent verb, active in the present system); often followed by an ablative of what gives pleasure |
How to pronounce “Numero deus impare gaudet”
The two systems sound the same here, since the line has no c or g before e or i and no v or ae to change. Stress numero on its first syllable, impare on its first syllable, and gaudet on its first syllable (the au is one sound, like “ow” in “cow”). Deus is two syllables, DEH-oos.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “the god rejoices in an uneven number”. It comes from Virgil’s eighth Eclogue, line 75, a pastoral poem written in the 30s BC.
In that passage a woman performs a love charm to win back a faithless lover. She binds three threads of three colours around an image and walks it three times round the altar, and the refrain about the god and odd numbers justifies the ritual.
The idea that odd numbers carry luck or power was widespread in Greek and Roman belief, and it still shows up in sayings about things coming in threes. Today the line is quoted lightly, often to explain why three or seven feels right.
How to use “Numero deus impare gaudet”
A playful fit for a third-anniversary card, a trio of friends or siblings, or a design built around the numbers three or seven. It also works as a witty aside in an essay on superstition or ritual in Roman poetry.
- Latin
- Numero deus impare gaudet
- English
- The god delights in an odd number.
- Source
- Virgil, Eclogues 8.75
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Fortune
Common mistakes
- The line comes from a ritual in a love charm, not from a philosophical text about mathematics or numerology.
- Deus is singular, “the god”, and in Virgil it is a general divine power, not one named god. Do not turn it into “gods” without changing the verb to gaudent.
- Do not translate impare as “not equal” in the sense of unfair. Here it simply means odd, as opposed to even.
- Numero is not a verb (“I number”) here. It is the ablative of the noun numerus.
Questions about “Numero deus impare gaudet”
What does “Numero deus impare gaudet” mean literally?
“The god rejoices in an odd number.” The odd number is in the ablative, marking what gives the god pleasure.
Who wrote “Numero deus impare gaudet”?
Virgil, in his Eclogues, book 8, line 75. It is part of a love-charm scene.
How do you pronounce “Numero deus impare gaudet”?
In Classical Latin: NOO-meh-roh DEH-oos IM-pah-reh GOW-det. Church Latin sounds the same for this line.
Is “Numero deus impare gaudet” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is correct and taken directly from Virgil. Keep the word order and endings as they are if you want the poetic original.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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