"Is this all real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"
The topic of this article is of a real-life subject that has been mentioned "in-universe" in a canon source. The Harry Potter Wiki is written from the perspective that all information presented in canon is true (e.g., Hogwarts really existed), and, as such, details contained in this article may differ from real world facts. |
Warning!
At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. As such, spoilers will be present within the article. |
A motto is a word or phrase used to describe the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation.[1]
Mottos are usually included in heraldic achievements.
List of known mottos[]
Corporate mottos[]
Institution | Motto | Notes |
---|---|---|
Changed from "We shall conquer" in 1972 (the last time they had won the League Cup was in 1892).[2] | ||
It reflected the Quidditch team's fierce and violent style of play.[2] | ||
Latin for "strength through loyalty". | ||
Latin for "never tickle a sleeping dragon". A rough equivalent of "let sleeping dogs lie"; a practical piece of advice. | ||
It represented the idea that wizards and witches were inherently superior to Muggles; the motto was engraved at the base of a statue that was installed in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic Headquarters after Voldemort took power in 1997.[5] | ||
French for "Cast, Bewitched, Conjured". It mirrors the French national motto, "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" ("Liberty, Equality, Fraternity") that originated with the French Revolution, around the same time the Ministry was established (1790). | ||
Latin for "let them beware of those of Smeltings". | ||
Latin for "neither spare nor dispose". | ||
Latin for "ignorance of law excuses no one". It is a brocard holding that one is bound by a law even if one does not know about it. |
Family mottos[]
Family | Motto | Notes |
---|---|---|
French for "always pure". It reflected the family's espousal of pure-blood supremacist beliefs.[10] | ||
Latin for "a crow will not pull out the eye of another crow". It refers to complete solidarity amongst a group of like-minded people regardless of consequences, and it is a play on the family emblem, a raven. | ||
Latin for "purity always conquers". It reflected the family's strongly beliefs in the concept of purity of blood. |
Personal mottos[]
Individual | Motto | Notes |
---|---|---|
Latin for "pray and work"; it comes from the Rule of Saint Benedict and it calls for combining contemplation with action. | ||
Latin for "Master of Arts"; it is used to refer to experts in the fields within the scope of the humanities and social sciences. | ||
German for "For the Greater Good". Adopted by Grindelwald and by his followers (the Alliance) as a mission statement during the global wizarding war, expressing his belief that ultimately everyone would benefit from his plan to put Muggles under wizarding control.[13] | ||
Latin for "a sound mind in a healthy body"; it comes from the works of Ancient Roman poet Juvenal. |
Behind the scenes[]
- When asked to elaborate on the history behind the unusual motto she chose for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, J. K. Rowling commented:
- "You know the way that most school slogans are thing like persevere and nobility, charity and fidelity or something, it just amused me to give an entirely practical piece of advice for the Hogwarts school motto. Then a friend of mine who is a professor of Classics — my Latin was not up to the job, I did not think it should be cod Latin, it is good enough for cod Latin spells, that is they used to be a mixture of Latin and other things. When it came to a proper Latin slogan for the school I wanted it to be right, I went to him and asked him to translate. I think he really enjoyed it, he rang me up and said, "I think I found the exactly right word, 'Titillandus'", that was how that was dreamt up."[14]
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance) (Appears on opening pages.)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) (Appears in deleted scene(s))
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
- Quidditch Through the Ages
- Pottermore
- Harry Potter Limited Edition - The Paintings of Hogwarts: Masterpieces from the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Sets
- The Making of Harry Potter
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
- Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Mentioned in History of Magic classes)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Motto on Wikipedia
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Quidditch Through the Ages, Chapter 7 (Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland)
- ↑ The Making of Harry Potter (see this image)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (opening pages)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 12 (Magic is Might)
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) (deleted scenes)
- ↑ "Updated: New 'Half-Blood Prince' Location Filming Photos From Lacock, Including 'The Babberton Arms' Sign" from The Leaky Cauldron
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 6 (The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "The Lestrange Family Tree" from MinaLima Design (prop featured in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Harry Potter Limited Edition - The Paintings of Hogwarts: Masterpieces from the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Sets
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 18 (The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore)
- ↑ "16 July 2005 Edinburgh 'cub reporter' press conference on ITV", the Harry Potter Lexicon