Excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta

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Excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta is a Latin phrase from the Middle Ages , literally translated: "An unsolicited apology (is) an overt accusation." A freer translation would be: "Whoever apologizes without being asked to accuse himself".

The phrase means that anyone who apologizes for a mistake without being asked to do so will put the blame on themselves. Another formulation of the same thought is in French: Qui s'excuse, s'accuse or in Latin: Qui se excusat, se accusat .

literature

  • Ernst Lautenbach: Latin – German: Quote Lexicon . LIT, Berlin- 2002, ISBN 3-8258-5652-6 .