Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori — Horace | Printable Wall Art

“Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori”
“It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country”

Words by Horace (65-8 BC) — Roman lyric poet.

About this quote

This phrase asserts that sacrificing one's life for the homeland is a noble and glorious duty. Rooted in ancient Roman martial values, it celebrates ultimate devotion to the collective good. While historically used to inspire patriotic duty and bravery in battle, modern readers often view it through the lens of Wilfred Owen’s famous anti-war poem, which challenged its truth.

Written by the Roman lyric poet Horace, this line appears in his Odes (Book III, Ode 2), composed around 23 BC. It formed part of his call to Roman youth to embrace martial valour.

People often display this print in a study or classroom to prompt discussion on history, honour, and sacrifice.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 19 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Script Whisper · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Night Script · Tracked Caps Unsigned

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.