Latin quote · Humor

Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?

“What prevents one from telling the truth while laughing?”

Horace, Satires 1.1.24

Translation

What does “Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?” mean?

Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat? translates as “What prevents one from telling the truth while laughing?”

Humor can carry serious truths, sometimes better than solemn speech. It is the classic defense of satire.

Word by word

“Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?” word by word

Latin	English	Grammar
Ridentem	laughing, while laughing	accusative singular masculine of the present participle of rideo, “I laugh”; the object of dicere (“one who laughs”)
dicere	to say, to tell	present infinitive active of dico, “I say”
verum	the truth	accusative singular neuter of the adjective verus, “true”, used as a noun: “what is true”
quid	what	interrogative pronoun, nominative or accusative singular neuter; here the subject of vetat
vetat	forbids, prevents	third person singular present indicative active of veto, “I forbid”

Pronunciation

How to pronounce “Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?”

Classical Latinree-DEN-tem DEE-keh-reh WEH-room kwid WEH-tat

Church Latinree-DEN-tem DEE-cheh-reh VEH-room kwid VEH-tat

The differences are in dicere (hard c vs. “ch”) and in the v of verum and vetat (w vs. v). Stress falls on the second syllable of ridentem, the first of dicere, verum and vetat.

Origin & context

The story behind it

Word for word the line asks “what forbids one laughing to tell the truth?”. The accusative “ridentem” (laughing) is the unstated subject of “dicere”, so the sense is “what stops a person from telling the truth with a smile?”.

It comes from Horace’s Satires, Book 1, poem 1, line 24. Horace wrote his satires in the 30s BC and often used humor to make moral points.

In the passage he compares a teacher who coaxes children with sweets so that they learn their letters. By the same logic a writer can sweeten a hard lesson with laughter. The line is often quoted as the classic defense of satire and humor with a purpose.

When to use it

How to use “Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?”

A fitting motto for a satirist, a comedian, a cartoonist or a teacher who uses humor to get a serious point across. It also works as an epigraph for an essay on satire or on comedy with a message.

Latin: Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?
English: What prevents one from telling the truth while laughing?
Source: Horace, Satires 1.1.24
Era: Classical
Theme: Humor

Good to know

Common mistakes

It is a question, not a statement. Dropping the question mark turns it into something Horace did not say.
It is often shortened to “ridentem dicere verum” and used as a bare slogan, which loses the rhetorical question that makes it work.
Do not read “ridentem” as “laughable” or “ridiculous”. It means “laughing”, and the laughter belongs to the speaker, not to the truth.

FAQ

Questions about “Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?”

What does “Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?” mean literally?

Literally, “laughing to say the true thing, what forbids?”. In natural English: “What prevents one from telling the truth while laughing?”.

Who said “Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?”

The Roman poet Horace, in his Satires (Book 1, poem 1, line 24), written in the 30s BC.

How do you pronounce “Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?”

In classical Latin: ree-DEN-tem DEE-keh-reh WEH-room kwid WEH-tat. In church Latin: ree-DEN-tem DEE-cheh-reh VEH-room kwid VEH-tat.

Is “Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat?” good Latin for a tattoo?

Yes, it is genuine Latin copied from Horace. Keep the question mark, and note that “ridentem” is masculine (or common) in form, so it fits a general, unnamed person.

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