Want to know how to say “trick-or-treat” in Ancient Greek or Latin? We’ve got you covered. Here are some classical things not to say.

Aristophanes, Wasps 4

“Don’t you know what kind of a beast we’re guarding?”

ἆρ᾿ οἶσθά γ᾿ οἷον κνώδαλον φυλάττομεν;

Euripides, Cyclops 656-660

“Heave ho, let’s go
Strike bravely, fast now
Incinerate the brow
Of this guest-feasting beast.
Blind him, burn out
The shepherd of Aetna.
Turn it, pull it, so that because of pain
He can’t hurt you any more.”

ἰὼ ἰώ·
ὠθεῖτε γενναιότατα,
σπεύδετ᾿, ἐκκαίετ᾿ ὀφρὺν
θηρὸς τοῦ ξενοδαίτα.
τύφετ᾿ ὦν, καίετ᾿ ὦ
τὸν Αἴτνας μηλονόμον.
τόρνευ᾿ ἕλκε, μὴ ᾿ξοδυνη-
θεὶς δράσῃ τι μάταιον.

Seneca, Phoenician Women 121-2

“Put a greater monster there so the dread seat will not be empty”

…dira ne sedes vacet,/ monstrum repone maius…

Jerome, Letters 7.3

“We are still food for the beast who creeps by god’s will to eat.”

nos serpenti terram ex divina sententia comedenti adhuc cibo sumus.