Quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi

Quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi ( Iovi, jovi spoken German: "What is the Jupiter allowed, the ox is not allowed" ) is an handed down by Terence sentence. The actual origin is not fully understood. Probably the proven Originally Posted by Terence was - ". Aliis si licet, tibi non licet " ( "If there is another permitted, but you do not. " - Heauton Timorumenos 797 ) - brought only in the Middle Ages in the form of rhyming. The rhyme was in ancient times in this form not a common stylistic device.

The Latin quotation is used to accentuate inequality in social status and related privileges.

Possible interpretations:

• " What befits Jupiter, not befitting the ox ( long ). "
• " The little ones henkt you, the Great allowed to run. "
• " What the Master may, the apprentice must not for a long time. "
• " Apprenticeship are no fun years. "
• "What is the rich man permits, is also not allowed the poor."
• "What is the officer allowed, may be prohibited by the soldiers. "
• " When two do the same, it is far from the same."

The sentence could also allude to the myth, Zeus kidnapped in the shape of a bull in Europe. But it would have the opposite of this wording: " Quod licet bovi, non licet Iovi. " Because the bull succeed in this saga, which would be Zeus without this mask did not succeed.

Also for this reversal of the sentence, there is an interpretation: What is the " little guy" checked (eg a traffic offense ), is the public official is not forgiven (eg, Chief of Police ) [ p. Seibert ]