# "Lorem Ipsum" - 2001-2-16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [November 23, 2001, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lorem-ipsum-2001-2-16/94867 "2001-11-23T05:33:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jiHymas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@jiHymas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jiHymas)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lorem-ipsum-2001-2-16/94867/1 "2001-11-23T05:33:39Z")
This question has bothered me for years, but it was only after a graphic designer pasted some in some work for me (and then couldn’t explain it!) that I got serious about getting an answer. Thank you. I will now be able to sleep at night. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lorem-ipsum-2001-2-16/94867/2 "2001-11-23T06:32:18Z")
And the column being referenced is [What does the filler text “lorem ipsum” mean?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010216.html). ---
**Author:** ![jiHymas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@jiHymas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jiHymas)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lorem-ipsum-2001-2-16/94867/3 "2001-11-23T19:57:56Z")
Thank you for the adding the actual link to the column! I was able to find the text on-line, at [http://patriot.net/~lillard/cp/cic.fin1.html](http://patriot.net/~lillard/cp/cic.fin1.html) ---
**Author:** ![jennygerbi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@jennygerbi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jennygerbi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lorem-ipsum-2001-2-16/94867/4 "2001-12-01T05:46:59Z")
These types of columns are some of my absolutely _favorie things_. Mysteries that sound totally creepy, but have an absolutely practical explanation, which the mere mortal couldn’t find out by websurfing or anything else. This is when Cecil saves us, in my opinion. -j ---
**Author:** ![HotTippic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c0e974/32.png) [@HotTippic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotTippic)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lorem-ipsum-2001-2-16/94867/5 "2004-11-13T02:17:39Z")
The lorem ipsum text actually isn’t “pseudo-latin” as it was called. It is actually a true latin text taken from a manuscript of “The extremes of good and evil” by Cicero. It was true Latin when he wrote it, but it is not part of today’s Latin grammar. And it is also only the first two words of that passage of text. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lorem-ipsum-2001-2-16/94867/6 "2004-11-13T14:29:43Z")
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, **HotTippic** , we’re glad to have you with us. If you’ll read Cecil’s column [What does the filler text “lorem ipsum” mean?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010216.html), you’ll find he says, sort of , what you said: > [@](#): > > Lorem ipsum was part of a passage from Cicero, specifically De finibus bonorum et malorum, a treatise on the theory of ethics written in 45 BC. The original reads, \*Neque porro quisquam est qui do **lorem ipsum** quia \*\*dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit . . . \*\*\*(“There is no one who loves pain itself, who seeks after it and wants to have it, simply because it is pain . . .”). So, it’s not that the words aren’t in use any more, it’s that the first couple letters of “dolorem” were cut off. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lorem-ipsum-2001-2-16/94867/7 "2004-11-13T15:31:22Z")
Cicero evidently never knew about S&M… :dubious: