In vino veritas

In vino veritas is a Latin phrase that means in German: " In wine there is truth." The author of the sentence is Alcaeus of Lesbos. The Roman historian Tacitus described how Germanic tribes at council meetings always drank wine, because they believed that no one could effectively be lying if he is drunk.

The phrase was often used in connection with " in aqua sanitas ", which means " the water is health ."

Similar proverbs is also available in other languages ​​and cultures. Translated these sentences as follows:

  • Chinese: "After the wine follows the true speech. "
  • Babylonian Talmud: " Pure is the wine that comes out a secret. "
  • Persian: " Are you drunk, you're telling the truth. " ( مستی و راستی )

In the 1770s Benjamin Cook wrote a polyphonic song titled " In Vino Veritas ". The rhymes were written as follows in the original version:

Germanic peoples
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