Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur

Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur, a Latin phrase, means "The world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived."

Attributions

According to the Great Norwegian Encyclopedia, the phrase is first documented in Sebastian Brant's Das Narrenschiff (1494), in the form "Die weltt die will betrogen syn". ^[1] It notes that it has since continuously been ascribed to older writers.

Various claims have been made as to the phrase's origin:

• "Mundus vult decipi." Sebastian Franck, Paradoxa Ducenta Octoginta, CCXXXVIII (1542) "The world loves to be deceived." ^[2]
• "Augustine of Hippo, lib. 4. de civitat. Dei, cap. 27. censures ' Scævola saying and acknowledging expedire civitates religione falli, that it was a fit thing [that] cities should be deceived by religion ^{[note 1]} , according to the diverb, Si mundus vult decipi, decipiatur, if the world will be gulled, let it be gulled, 'tis good howsoever to keep it in subjection." (Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy , first published 1621) ^[3]
• "The pontifex maximus Scævola thought it expedient that the people should be deceived in religion; and the learned Varro said plainly, that there are many truths which it is useless for the vulgar to know; and many falsities which it is fit the people should not suppose are falsities. (Note: Vid Augustin. de civ. Dei, B. 4 [...]. ^{[note 2]} ) Hence comes the adage "Mundus vult decipi, decipiatur ergo." ^[4]

Misattribution

Some claim that the 1st century satirist Petronius originated this expression, but it appears nowhere in the surviving copies of his work. ^[5]

Notes

1. "Quod eorum qui sint dii non habeant ciuitates uera simulacra, quod uerus deus nec sexum habeat nec aetatem nec definita corporis membra." Haec pontifex nosse populos non uult; nam falsa esse non putat. Expedire igitur existimat falli in religione ciuitates. — Augustin. de civ. Dei, B. 4
2. Haec pontifex nosse populos non uult; nam falsa esse non putat. Expedire igitur existimat falli in religione ciuitates. Quod dicere etiam in libris rerum diuinarum Varro ipse non dubitat. — Augustin. de civ. Dei, B. 4

References

1. Tvedt, Hans Andreas. "Verden vil bedras". snl.no. Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
2. Thomas Benfield Harbottle, Dictionary of Quotations (Classical), The Macmillan Co., 1906
3. Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy , Part 3, Sect. 4. Memb. 1. Subs. 2. (Nicolas K. Kiessling, Thomas C. Faulkner, Rhonda L. Blair (editors), Oxford University Press, Vol. 3, 1990, p. 347)
4. Plutarchus, and Theophrastus, on Superstition; with Various Appendices, and a Life of Plutarchus, Daniel Wyttenbach (translator), Printed by Julian Hibbert, No. 1 Fitzroy Place, Kentish Town, 1828, First Appendix: p5
5. Martínez, Javier, ed. (2012). Mundus vult decipi: Estudios interdisciplinares sobre falsificación textual y literaria. Madrid: Ediciones Clásicas. pp. 10–11. ISBN   978-8478827381 . Retrieved 8 November 2015.