Quid verum atque decens curo et rogo, et omnis in hoc sum
“What is true and fitting is what I care about and ask about, and I am wholly absorbed in this.”
Horace, Epistles 1.1
What does “Quid verum atque decens curo et rogo, et omnis in hoc sum” mean?
Quid verum atque decens curo et rogo, et omnis in hoc sum translates as “What is true and fitting is what I care about and ask about, and I am wholly absorbed in this.”
Horace declares that he has turned from light verse to the pursuit of truth and right living. It is a statement of commitment to philosophy as a way of life.
“Quid verum atque decens curo et …” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Quid | what | interrogative pronoun used here as a relative, “what”; accusative singular neuter, object of curo and rogo |
| verum | true | neuter adjective used as a noun, “the true thing, truth”; accusative singular (neuter) |
| atque | and | conjunction joining verum and decens; slightly stronger than et |
| decens | fitting, seemly | present participle of decet, “it is fitting”, used as an adjective; accusative singular neuter, agreeing with the unstated noun |
| curo | I care about | first person singular present indicative active of curo, “to care for, attend to” |
| et | and | conjunction joining curo and rogo |
| rogo | I ask, I inquire | first person singular present indicative active of rogo, “to ask” |
| et | and | conjunction linking the two halves of the line |
| omnis | wholly, entirely | nominative singular masculine of omnis, “all”, agreeing with the speaker; omnis in hoc sum means “I am all in this” |
| in | in | preposition taking the ablative here, “in, devoted to” |
| hoc | this | ablative singular neuter of hic, “this”, object of in |
| sum | I am | first person singular present indicative of sum, “to be” |
How to pronounce “Quid verum atque decens curo et …”
The main differences are verum (WAY-room vs VEH-room), decens (hard k vs ch) and the vowel in omnis. The classical hoc ends in a k sound, while the church pronunciation often softens it to ok. Stress falls on the first syllable of decens, curo and rogo.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “what is true and fitting I care about and ask about, and I am all in this”. It is the voice of a poet announcing a change of direction in his own life.
It comes from Horace’s Epistles 1.1, a letter addressed to his patron Maecenas. Horace says he is leaving verse and light pursuits behind and turning to the study of what is true and fitting, meaning how to live well.
Horace was no strict follower of one school. In the same poem he says he is not bound to swear by any master’s words, and he dips into Stoic and Epicurean thought as it suits him. The line is often quoted as a short statement of a life given to inquiry.
How to use “Quid verum atque decens curo et …”
Suited to a scholar’s study, a philosophy or writing blog, a personal motto for someone who has committed to a field of study, or an epigraph for an essay on the examined life.
- Latin
- Quid verum atque decens curo et rogo, et omnis in hoc sum
- English
- What is true and fitting is what I care about and ask about, and I am wholly absorbed in this.
- Source
- Horace, Epistles 1.1
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Truth
Common mistakes
- Verum here means “the true thing, truth”, not “truly” as an adverb.
- Omnis agrees with the speaker (“I, entire”), so it means “wholly”, not “everything”. The ending changes if a woman speaks: omnis is the same for both genders, but any added adjectives would need to be changed accordingly.
- Quoting only “omnis in hoc sum” loses the sense, since hoc points back to the pursuit of truth and fitness in the first half.
- The line is not a general slogan of philosophy. In Horace it marks a personal turn away from poetry, so context matters.
Questions about “Quid verum atque decens curo et …”
What does “Quid verum atque decens curo et rogo, et omnis in hoc sum” mean?
“What is true and fitting I care about and ask about, and I am wholly absorbed in this.” Horace says he now devotes himself entirely to seeking truth and right living.
Who wrote “Quid verum atque decens curo et rogo”?
Horace, in Epistles 1.1, a verse letter to Maecenas written around 20 BC.
How do you pronounce “Quid verum atque decens”?
Classical: kwid WAY-room AHT-kweh DEH-kens. Church Latin: kwid VEH-room AHT-kweh DEH-chens.
Is this line good for a tattoo or motto?
It works as a motto, but it is long and its meaning depends on the context of Horace turning from poetry to philosophy. A shorter extract such as “Quid verum atque decens” keeps the core idea.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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