Iovem lapidem iurare

Latin

Alternative forms

• Iovem Lapidem iūrāre
• per Iovem Lapidem iūrāre

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈi̯o.u̯em ˈla.pi.dem i̯uːˈraː.re/, [ˈi̯ou̯ɛ̃ˑ ˈɫ̪äpɪd̪ɛ̃ˑ i̯uːˈräːrɛ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈjo.vem ˈla.pi.dem juˈra.re/, [ˈjɔːvem ˈläːpid̪em juˈräːre]

Phrase

Iovem lapidem iūrāre

1. to swear by the Jupiter Stone (Iuppiter Lapis), to make the most sacred of oaths
   • 62 – 43 BCE, Cicero, Epistulae ad familiares 7.12:

     Quōmodo autem tibi placēbit Iovem lapidem iūrāre, cum sciās Iovem īrātum esse nēminī posse?

     Again, how will it please you to swear by the Jupiter Stone, when you know that Jupiter cannot be angry with anyone?

   • c. 125 – c. 180 CE, Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae 1.21:

     “Iovem lapidem,” inquit “quod sānctissimum iūsiūrandum habitum est, parātus egō iūrāre sum Vergilium hoc numquam scrīpsisse, sed Hygīnum egō vērum dīcere arbitror.”

     He said, “I am ready to swear by the Jupiter Stone, which is considered the most sacred of oaths, that Virgil never wrote that, but (instead) I judge that Hyginus speaks the truth.”