all roads lead to Rome
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Modern wording of medieval sentiment; apparently originally a reference to Roman roads generally and the Milliarium Aureum (Golden Milestone) specifically.[1]
Appears in the form Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam (A thousand roads lead men forever to Rome) in Liber Parabolarum, 591 (1175), by Alain de Lille.[2]
The earliest English form appears to be “Right as diverse pathes leden the folk the righte wey to Rome.” in Treatise on the Astrolabe (Prologue, ll. 39–40), 1391, by Geoffrey Chaucer.[3]
Proverb[edit]
- different paths can take one to the same goal
Translations[edit]
different paths to the same goal
References[edit]
- ^ Schaaf, P. (1867/1886). Ante-nicene fathers: The Apostolic fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus [Roberts, A. & Donaldson, J, Eds]. [Electronic reprint] Grand Rapids, MI, USA: CCEL, v.1 p.1
- ^ Thesaurus Proverbiorum Medii Aevi: Lexikon der Sprichwörter des Romanisch-germanischen Mittelalters by Samuel Singer, Kuratorium Singer, published by Walter de Gruyter, 1995, ISBN 311008529 1, ISBN 978 311008529 7, p. 355
- ^ Treatise on the Astrolabe, Part 1
- Gregory Y. Titelman, Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings, 1996, ISBN 0-679-44554-4, p. 8.
- Linda and Roger Flavell, Dictionary of Proverbs and their Origins
- Quoteland.com : Quoteland.com User Groups : Who Said It? : all roads lead to Rome
External links[edit]
- User-submitted translations of “All roads lead to Rome” web page by Paul Burns
