Acta non verba, facts or words?

Updated: 23/10/2023 por Jennifer Delgado | Published: 24/05/2023

An old Latin sentence reads: “facta non verba” which literally means “deeds, not words”. Carl Jung agreed, he warned us: “You are what you do, not what you say you will do”. And yet, it is easy to fall into the trap of words, empty speeches and intellectual fantasies while underestimating the enormous power of actions.

In fact, immersed in the height of postmodernity, an era in which facts seem to be diluted in different narratives and the truth is relativized, acts seem to have passed into the background. Much is said, but little is done.

The ancient origin of facta non verba

Few sentences represent in such a concentrated way the pragmatic spirit of the Roman mentality. The words “res non verba” are attributed to Cato the Elder, a senator from the 2nd century BC, whose name over time would become a symbol of virtues such as frugality, courage, determination and work, qualities that the Romans appreciated and that they believed had allowed them to conquer their empire.

However, one of the first written references to the phrase “acta non verba” is found in the work “De Re Militari” by the Roman writer Vegetius, the most famous title on Western tactics and strategy for several centuries. Although Vegetius did not identify himself as a soldier, it is thought that he was close to the emperor and in his texts it can be seen that he valued discipline and actions.

In general, for Roman citizens, “res non verba” was much more than a phrase, it was a principle that was applied fundamentally to the way of understanding and doing politics, although it was not limited to this, but extended to many other facets of life. They resorted to this phrase to point out the value of actions, beyond words or good intentions.

In ancient Rome, the sentence “acta non verba” was also used to refer to certain orators and lecturers who used bombastic words, often incomprehensible but causing a great effect on the audience. In these cases, the phrase “acta non verba” became a kind of warning for them to put their feet on the ground, talk less and do more, so that they would not only dedicate themselves to preaching but rather put into practice what they said.

Our actions define us

We all have at least three “selves”: what we are, what we think we are, and what others think we are. Sometimes these “selves” live in harmony, but more often they experience great dissonance, which becomes the source of many of our tensions, frustrations, and dissatisfactions.

If we say we will do something but don’t do it, those “selves” come into conflict and generate negative emotions. If we identify with a value, such as altruism or discipline, but when the moment of truth arrives we do not act moved by that ideal, we will experience a cognitive dissonance that generates tension and, in a certain way, pushes us to seek justifications for our discordant behavior.

As a result, the distance between our “selves” increases and with it the tension grows. For this reason, words and good intentions are not enough, we are what we do. As an old proverb said, you can’t cross the bridge until you get to it.

Words can pave the way for us and prepare us to walk it, but ultimately, we are every step we take. We are those footprints that we leave behind, the trail that our actions leave behind – whether it is helping others and fighting for what we want or assuming an indolent attitude and we are too lazy to even try.

Our actions are what shape our future and what influences the others. A reaction on time or the right attitude can make a difference. In short, what we think and feel must be in tune with what we do. We are not only what we say, we are fundamentally what we do. Therefore, perhaps we should turn the phrase “facta non verba” into our personal mantra. Facts, not words.