--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who…" description: "\"“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchmen themselves?”\" — Juvenal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/juvenal-918_watches_quis-custodiet-ipsos-custodes-who-watche_2934026.png" --- # Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchmen… ![“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchmen themselves?” quote by Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/juvenal-918_watches_quis-custodiet-ipsos-custodes-who-watche_2934026.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/juvenal-918_watches_quis-custodiet-ipsos-custodes-who-watche_2934026.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ea/juvenal-918_watches_quis-custodiet-ipsos-custodes-who-watche_2934026.png) > ““Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchmen themselves?”” [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Who watches those in power? A call for accountability. **In simple terms:** Question authority's oversight. Key Takeaway Demand checks on power. Themes politics ethics accountability trust surveillance Mood skeptical inquisitive Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - government oversight - corporate governance - media scrutiny - public protests Key Concepts social contract corruption watchdog role Questions to Reflect On - Who should be the watchdog? - What mechanisms ensure true accountability? A Different Perspective Assumes a single watchdog can be effective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Watchmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watchmen/) ## Related quotes > [“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who watches the watchmen?)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/quis-custodiet-ipsos-custodes-who-watches-the-watchmen/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [“Who watches the watchmen?’. My Latin may not be up to your level, but along with ‘Carpe Diem’, that is one phrase I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leese/who-watches-the-watchmen-my-latin-may-not-be-up-to-your-level-but/) [Michael Leese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leese/) > [Who watches the watchmen?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-watches-the-watchmen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The original series of Watchmen is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC's reasons for this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/the-original-series-of-watchmen-is-the-complete-story-that-alan-moore/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [“As watchmen working through the night we need to come again and again with our petitions, but always knowing that each prayer, each petition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-davis/as-watchmen-working-through-the-night-we-need-to-come-again-and-again/) [Patrick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-davis/) > [“Rich can live better than poor but they cannot live without poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/rich-can-live-better-than-poor-but-they-cannot-live-without-poor/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [You know, I gotta be honest. I have not done a lot of CGI work. I just haven't. I mean, there were hundreds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-wilson/you-know-i-gotta-be-honest-i-have-not-done-a-lot-of-cgi-work-i-just/) [Patrick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-wilson/) > [“Laurie: Her pain, her fears, her whole life, y' know? I mean, ordinary people, right? All the things that happen to them... doesn't that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/laurie-her-pain-her-fears-her-whole-life-y-know-i-mean-ordinary/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [“Rorshach's journal. October 16, 1985. Been waiting in Moloch's fridge for three hours. Ate two raw eggs and packet of honey mustard sauce. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/rorshach-s-journal-october-16-1985-been-waiting-in-moloch-s-fridge/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [My very small part in WATCHMEN is that, every now and then, Alan would phone me: ''Neil, you're an educated man. Where does it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/my-very-small-part-in-watchmen-is-that-every-now-and-then-alan-would/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [The truth is the music is really an incredible personal part of the movie. When I was drawing the storyboards for Watchmen, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack-snyder/the-truth-is-the-music-is-really-an-incredible-personal-part-of-the/) [Zack Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-snyder/) > [In the sense that Watchmen references movies, comic books, pop culture in general. It knows it's a movie. I really do like movies that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack-snyder/in-the-sense-that-watchmen-references-movies-comic-books-pop-culture/) [Zack Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-snyder/) > [I didn't write superheroes for the first 10 years of my comic career. I was just doing fan fiction. I wasn't thinking about superheroes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-michael-bendis/i-didn-t-write-superheroes-for-the-first-10-years-of-my-comic-career/) [Brian Michael Bendis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-michael-bendis/) > [In comics, there are depths that don't reveal themselves immediately, and the stuff that you might consider anal about 'Watching the Watchmen' - like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/in-comics-there-are-depths-that-don-t-reveal-themselves-immediately/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [I think that, for me, Superman just seemed to make a lot of sense to me. After doing 'Watchmen,' it was - you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack-snyder/i-think-that-for-me-superman-just-seemed-to-make-a-lot-of-sense-to-me/) [Zack Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-snyder/) ## More by Juvenal > [Where have you ever found that man who stopped short after the perpetration of a single crime?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/where-have-you-ever-found-that-man-who-stopped-short-after-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Everything in Rome has its price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/everything-in-rome-has-its-price/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Astrology reveals the will of the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/astrology-reveals-the-will-of-the-gods/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [ Indignation leads to the making of poetry. \[Lat., Facit indignatio versum.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/indignation-leads-to-the-making-of-poetry-lat-facit-indignatio-versum/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [The short bloom of our brief and narrow life flies fast away. While we are calling for flowers and wine and women, old age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/the-short-bloom-of-our-brief-and-narrow-life-flies-fast-away-while-we/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Some men make money not for the sake of living, but ache In the blindness of greed and live just for their fortune's sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/some-men-make-money-not-for-the-sake-of-living-but-ache-in-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/quis-custodiet-ipsos-custodes-who-will-watch-the-watchers/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [All things may be bought in Rome with money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/all-things-may-be-bought-in-rome-with-money/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Who is to guard the guards themselves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/who-is-to-guard-the-guards-themselves/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Dedicate one's life to truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/dedicate-one-s-life-to-truth/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [A sound mind in a sound body is a thing to be prayed for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/a-sound-mind-in-a-sound-body-is-a-thing-to-be-prayed-for/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Only death reveals what a nothing the body of man is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/only-death-reveals-what-a-nothing-the-body-of-man-is/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [“show me the apartment 235 that lets you sleep! In this city sleep costs millions, and that’s the root of the trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/show-me-the-apartment-235-that-lets-you-sleep-in-this-city-sleep/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [ When a man's life is at stake no delay is too long. \[Lat., Nulla unquam de morte cunctatio longa est.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/when-a-man-s-life-is-at-stake-no-delay-is-too-long-lat-nulla-unquam/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [What man have you ever seen who was contented with one crime only?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/what-man-have-you-ever-seen-who-was-contented-with-one-crime-only/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) [Explore all 328 Juvenal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) ## More Watches quotes > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [The only thing I try to watch carefully is that I never lose the love for the instrument. That's also why I decided against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-frahm/the-only-thing-i-try-to-watch-carefully-is-that-i-never-lose-the-love/) [Nils Frahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-frahm/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [We don't want you at the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-roenick/we-don-t-want-you-at-the-rink-we-don-t-want-you-in-the-stadium-we-don/) [Jeremy Roenick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-roenick/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Life is a helluva thing. You can see trouble coming and you can't do a damn thing to prevent it coming. You just got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-helluva-thing-you-can-see-trouble-coming-and-you-can-t-do-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Economists think about what people ought to do. Psychologists watch what they actually do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/economists-think-about-what-people-ought-to-do-psychologists-watch/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Watch what you say and do because little eyes are watching you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/watch-what-you-say-and-do-because-little-eyes-are-watching-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think that prosecuting some college kid because she shared a file is a lot like sending somebody to Australia 200 years ago for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-think-that-prosecuting-some-college-kid-because-she-shared-a-file/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) Browse all 6,213 Watches quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? 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