Virtus post nummos
“Virtue after money.”
Horace, Epistles 1.1.54
What does “Virtus post nummos” mean?
Virtus post nummos translates as “Virtue after money.”
It mocks a society that puts money first and goodness second. The line is still a sharp critique of materialism.
“Virtus post nummos” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Virtus | virtue, moral excellence | nominative singular feminine of virtus, “virtue, manliness, excellence”; the subject of the understood sentence |
| post | after | a preposition meaning “after” or “behind”; it takes the accusative case |
| nummos | coins, cash | accusative plural of nummus, “coin, piece of money”; an older spelling of nummōs, governed by post |
How to pronounce “Virtus post nummos”
The difference is in the first word: Classical says WIR-toos with a w sound, Church Latin says VEER-toos with a v. Stress falls on the first syllable of virtus and of nummos, and post is one syllable.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “virtue after coins”. Virtus is a broad Roman word for excellence of character, and here it ranks below cash.
It comes from the first book of Horace’s Epistles, a verse letter written around 20 BC. Horace quotes a slogan of his money-minded Roman contemporaries in full: “quaerenda pecunia primum est, virtus post nummos”, meaning money must be sought first, virtue after cash.
The words are not Horace’s own advice. He reports the saying with irony, as the creed of a society that has its priorities upside down. The short form “virtus post nummos” later became a ready label for materialism and for putting profit ahead of principle.
How to use “Virtus post nummos”
A sharp epigraph for an essay on business ethics, corruption or consumer culture, or a satirical caption on a poster about greed. It works best when you want to criticise materialism, not endorse it.
- Latin
- Virtus post nummos
- English
- Virtue after money.
- Source
- Horace, Epistles 1.1.54
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Money
Common mistakes
- Reading it as Horace’s own advice. He quotes the line to mock people who live by it.
- Taking virtus to mean only “virtue” in the modern, narrow sense. It also carries the idea of excellence and courage.
- Citing the short phrase as a complete Horace sentence. In the original it is the second half of a longer line about seeking money first.
- Treating nummos as a different word from nummus. It is the accusative plural of nummus, “coin”, after the preposition post.
Questions about “Virtus post nummos”
What does “Virtus post nummos” mean literally?
“Virtue after coins”, that is, virtue comes after money. It describes a society that ranks wealth above character.
Who said “Virtus post nummos”?
It comes from Horace, Epistles 1.1.54. He gives it as a slogan of the Romans of his day, not as his own belief.
How do you pronounce “Virtus post nummos”?
Classical: WIR-toos pohst NOOM-mohs. Church Latin: VEER-toos pohst NOOM-mohs. The stress is on the first syllable of virtus and nummos.
Is “Virtus post nummos” a good tattoo or motto?
Only if you mean it as a warning about materialism. Many people read it as a cynical creed, so be sure the ironic meaning is the one you want.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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