Epithets and Other Roman Interjections

The Romans weren't much different from us. When frustrated or angry, they, too, name-called, swore, and cursed their fellow man. In the following table, I've listed some of the more common interjections used. Some of the sources I've drawn these from are Latin dictionaries, an informative on-line conversation with C.J. Cherryh on CompuServe, and various other books included in the bibliography on the Ancient Rome page.

Unfortunately, I don't really have any idea as to which of these were used in the Late Republican era and which may have evolved later during the Empire. So if you have any information as to when any of these interjections first appeared or were commonly used, please contact me and point me to a reference or other bona fide information source. Also, if you know of any additional Roman interjections used during this period, I'd like to hear about them too.

LATIN WORD OR PHRASE   ROUGH LITERAL TRANSLATION   OTHER POSSIBLE TRANSLATIONS   NOTES  Aio! Really?! You don't mean it! Expression of surprise Certo Pol! Most assuredly!     Cunnus!  Cunt!  Strumpet!  Whore!    Di Immortales!  Immortal Gods!  Good Gods! Gods Above!  Used when startled  Di Omnes!  All the Gods!  Gods! Used when startled  Dis vos aufert or Dis te aufort!  May the Gods Take You Off!  Devil take you! Damn you to Hades!     Edepol  By Pollux!  Gad! God!  Mild expletive usually used by men  Ehem!  Ha!  Aha!   Eheu!  Alas! Oh Shit!  Used when expressing pain Eho!  See here!  Look here now!  Used when rebuking someone  Eho dum!  Look here now!      Ei!  (or Hei!)  Ah!   Expressing fear or dismay  Eia! (or Heia!)     Ah! Aha! Good! Expressing joy or surprise  Eia! (or Heia!)  [second meaning]   Quick! Come on!  Used when in a hurry   Eia age!  Come on!  Up then!    Eu!   Fine! Great! Terrific!   Euax!   Hooray!   Euge or Eugepae!   Fine! Great! Terrific!   Fortuna te favet!  Luck favors you!  You lucky so-and-so!    Hem! Well!   Expression of surprise Hercle! (or Ercle!)  By Hercules!    Used for emphasis or to express strong feeling. Used by men only. Heu! Oh! Ah! Alas! Expression of pain or dismay Heus! Hey!   Used to draw attention Hui! Wow!     Ita me di juvent!  So help me Gods!      Mecastor! By Castor!  Goodness gracious!  Mild expletive usually used by women  Mehercle! Mehercule! Mehercules! By Hercules!     Merda!  Shit!     Ohe! Oh!     Perge modo! Go on now! Now get going!   Podex! Ass!     Pol! By Pollux! Gads! Oh God!   Pro Iuppiter  By Jupiter!  By God!  Used in anger or solemnly  Vae! Woe!     Vah!   Ah! Oh! Expressing dismay, pain, annoyance, or contempt Vaha!   Aha! Expressing pleasant surprise Vappa! Flat Wine! Brat! Good for nothing!

 

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