History of Europe

Some insults used in Ancient Rome

Many times, when we talk about classical languages ​​like Latin, we think that they are as beautiful as the statues that their speakers carved. The didactics of them is largely to blame by frequently denying the existence of insults, tacos, rude or profanity words or whatever they want to name them. But the reality is very different and in the language of Plautus we find strings of insults, although he is not the only author who uses another lexicon less refined than the Virgilian in his texts. I remember, if I may tell the anecdote, that a French teacher from the Official School of Languages ​​taught us, but only to use it as a defense, some insults in that language.

What does Latin have tacos? Like most languages. Sometimes we forget that no matter how refined a society is, there are always lower classes with their own jargon. And it is very good that Cicero began his Catilinarias with that Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? But I suppose that when he learned of Lucius Sergius's intentions to carry out the coup d'état and end the life of the consul, at that time Cicero himself, our dear orator would not be as patient as when he blurted out that beginning in the session of the Senate.

Here is a short list:

Acerrimus :is the superlative of acer :pointed, prickly or hurtful.
Bustirapus :plunderer of funeral pyres, desecrator.
Caenum filth , in Spanish:silt, mud.
Cinaedus :sodomite.
Fraudulens :fraudulent
Fraus populi :town swindler.
Fugitivus :fugitive
Fur :thief, from where the Castilian steal (furtar)
Furcifer :rogue, thief. Formed on furca (gallows, crossed pole where the soldier was carrying his personal equipment) and fero (to carry)
Impudicus :dishonest
Impurus :impure
Legirupa :lawbreaker, formed on the noun lex , legis :law and the verb rumpo :break.
Leno :merchant of slave women, pimp.
Parricide :with the same value as currently
Pathicus :bastard.
Periurus :liar, perjurer, on the noun ius , iuris :right
Pernicies adulescentum :bane of adolescents, corrupter of minors
Planissimus :superlative of planus :plain, simple
Sacrilegus :sacrilegious, committing impious acts.
Scelestus :Scoundrel, rascal, from the noun scelus :bad action.
Sociofraudus :“betrayers”, formed on socius :ally, partner and fraus :fraud.
Verbero :Deserving of lashes, from the noun verb :stick with which it is whipped, whip.

And about verbs, the most famous are pedic , sodomize, and irrumo , cumming for a fellatio. Not counting terms like fellatio itself .

Collaboration of Rubén Ríos Longares