WIST Quotations https://wist.info Wish I'd Said That! Sun, 08 Nov 2026 20:20:21 +0000 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://wist.info/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/little-w-little-box-60x60.jpg locale – WIST Quotations https://wist.info 32 32 43606282 Ambrose of Milan -- In Augustine, Epistulae, Letter 36 (c. AD 400) https://wist.info/ambrose-saint/1380/ https://wist.info/ambrose-saint/1380/#respond Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/wp/?p=1380 When I am in Rome, I fast as the Romans do; when I am at Milan, I do not fast. So likewise you, whatever church you come to, observe the custom of the place.

[Cum Romanum venio, ieiuno Sabbato; cum hic sum, non ieiuno: sic etiam tu, ad quam forte ecclesiam veneris, eius morem serva, si cuiquam non vis esse scandalum nec quemquam tibi.]


Ambrose of Milan (339–397) Roman theologian, statesman, Christian prelate, saint, Doctor of the Church [Aurelius Ambrosius]
In Augustine, Epistulae, Letter 36 (c. AD 400)

Alt trans.:
  • Popularly, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
  • "When I am at Rome, I fast on a Saturday; when I am at Milan, I do not. Follow the custom of the church where you are."
  • "When I am here, I do not fast on the Sabbath; when I am in Rome, I fast on the Sabbath."
  • Alternately given as "If you are at Rome, live in the Roman style; if you are elsewhere, live as they live there. [Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more; / Si fueris alibi, vivito sicut ibi.]" in J. Taylor, Ductor Dubitantium, or the Rule of Conscience, I.i.5 (1660).
Various Augustine citations described:
  • Epistulae 36, 14 or 32
  • Letter 54 to Januarius
  • Epistle to Januarius, 2, sec. 18
  • Epistle to Casualanus, 36, sec. 32
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