I’ve had a lot of fun with my little booklet about Greek and Latin profanities, and I had promised a post on the subject, so here we go.
What follows is a basic list of Latin insults.
It is of course Not Safe for Work, especially if you are working in the Roman Empire…

• Amasiuncula – little slut
• Ambubaia – whore
• Amens – idiot
• Belua – beast
• Bucco – growler
• Cacator – shitter, full of shit
• Cimex – revolting
• Cinaedus – “faggot”, homosexual
• Congerro – clown
• Crucis offla – scapegallows
• Cucurbite caput – thick-headed (literally “pumpkin-headed”)
• Cunnio – womanizer
• Derisor – clown
• Ebriosus – drunkard
• Foedissima – very ugly woman
• Frustum pueri – big baby
• Furcifer – rascal
• Ganeo – guzzler
• Gulo – sponge (in the sense of drunkard)
• Hircus – goat
• Hirudo – leach
• Homo nun nauci – good for nothing
• Homo taeter – repulsive man
• Impudicus – debauched
• Lotiolentus – pisser
• Lustro – drunkard (as in “lush”)
• Mentula – prick
• Muliebris patientiae scortum – gay
• Nebulo – braggart
• Nequissimus – helpless, good for nothing
• Pathicus – “invert”
• Pecus – fool
• Pusillus – microbe, gnat
• Scelestus – knave
• Scortun – whore
• Sentina – scum
• Sopio – big prick
• Spado – gelding
• Spissigradissimus – wimp
• Sus lutulenta – dirty bitch
• Veneficus – poisoner
• Verbero – slap face
• Verpa – dick
• Vetulus – old fool

And yes, there was also a lot of creative insulting in Latin. My favorite is of course mater tua caligas gerit, which means literally your mother wears legionary boots. That, you’ll have to admit, is quite creative, as an insult.

Anyway, here you are for starters – tomorrow, a little selection of Greek obscenities and insults. Just for completeness’ sake.