Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus – A Mere Proverb, or an Important Clue?

I read CoS some weeks ago, and I found something interesting there. see for yourselves...

(before Hermione is going to steal ingredients for the polyjuice potion)
'"...so all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so." (Hermione)
Harry smiled feebly. Deribelately causing mayhem in Snape's Potion Class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye.'
(CoS pg. 140, bloomsbury childrens edition, paperback)

what does this mean?????????

[AmyLeeL3E]

Very interesting. As you said, it could be some very important clue, or just a funny motto! I think that in the future will mean something...

[Elminefra]

Your editorial is great (and so interesting theory about the Proverb and the links with schools'names) !

I have also thought once that Hogwarts might be "Draco", yet the school is torn apart with houses, and has no common power without unity (so told the Sorting Hat).
I am also forced to admit that it would be great that "Draco" meant Malfoy, though I prefer him not to be Harry's ennemy : Voldemort is known to be treacherous and heartless. Why wouldn't he betray Lucius (after all he seems to have killed Sirius's brother) in front of his son ? Malfoy may be mean, but he has honour.

[Elminefra]

Just a thought : could Draco stands for the muggles ? Hogwarts is here to protect and hide the magic world from dicovery. And signs become day after day more obvious for non magical people, even if "they don't look properly", don't they ?

[Scothoser]

Originally Posted by Graybeard

Oops! My Latin is worse than I thought.
"caput -itis n. [the head]; meton. , [a living individual], esp. of human beings, [a person]; also [a person's life, existence]; esp., in Rome, [a man's political and social rights]. Transf., of lifeless things, [the top, summit, extremity]; of rivers, etc., [the source]; of persons and things, [the head, leader, chief, headquarters, chief point]; of places, [the capital]."

I'll crawl back into my hole now....

I still think you have valid point bringing up the password. Caput Draconis, or the head of the dragon, leader of dragons/snakes could be significant. Could it have been an offhand reference to the Heir of Slytherin? Of course it could also be reference to a Roman method of giving names that were ironically wrong (Such as Cato Pulcher, Cato the beautiful, who was known to be ugly). Perhaps it identifies the falling out and loss of leadership that Slytherin had when Salazar had left.

Or perhaps it was Jo's way of having an impressive first password. ^_^

[Minervaxyz]

I just want to add a thought and hope i didn't overlook that someone else said it already:

Our dear Draco is uttering nonsense when he accuses Harry of sending Lucius to Askaban. IT WAS DUMBLEDORE WHO CAUGHT HIM!

I don#t thinkl that Draco could ever get that point, but still....

[Scothoser]

Originally Posted by Minervaxyz

Our dear Draco is uttering nonsense when he accuses Harry of sending Lucius to Askaban. IT WAS DUMBLEDORE WHO CAUGHT HIM!

I don#t thinkl that Draco could ever get that point, but still....

That's a good observation Minervaxyz! It really shows the mindset of Draco there.. He can't blame and get even with the Headmaster of the school, but he can blame Harry for it, because Harry was there. Whether or not Harry actually captured his father is irrelevant in Draco's eyes.. he want's to hate someone, and Harry is everything that he wishes he is, was there at the DoM, and has defied all that Lucius stands for. In Draco's mind, Harry is the ultimate enemy, and therefore something to hate.

What's even more interesting is Harry's reaction to that attack. When Draco says that he couldn't send his father to jail, Harry says, "That's funny, I thought I already had". It's interesting that Harry didn't try to correct Draco, but instead took it as a challenge, and in turn defied Draco directly. This, I think, shows the willingness of Harry to accept any challenge directly, as we had seen through the whole book.

I'd also like to contrast that with the willingness of Dumbledore to remain calm and collected in the face of direct verbal attacks. He doesn't allow his pride to take over and react, but takes each attack to his character and sanity with an amazing patience. Granted, Dumbledore is really the ideal person in my mind, but it still never ceases to amaze me how much control he has over himself...

[rotes_haar]

Your views on it being related to Draco are interesting. HOWEVER...

I don't think Draco dormiens... is a really meant as a warning to other students. I think it's kind of pertaining to everyone within Hogwarts: the ghosts, the teachers, the students, even the building itself. For one thing, we know that Dumbledore's a bit of a sleeping dragon. He rarely displays rage, and when he does it's frightening. He has to be properly provoked.

The students, though ickle children, could probably unite and bring down a force like no other onto attackers. We have seen what happens when enough anger goes into a spell.

Hogwarts, though a building, is embued with thousands of special spells to protect the students and teachers within. She might easily have some booby traps that have not yet been set off. Perhaps it has to be on the order of the headmaster or when a certain place is breached by enemies.

Although I'm not so sure what ghosts can do, I'm thinking more along the lines of a certain poltergeist. I mean, he HAS been dead useful at times, but isn't it strange that only the Bloody Baron can control him, and yet there have been no serious problems with him even when the Baron is not around? Peculiar...

Overall, well-written editorial, but I don't think it's hitting the mark.

[Scothoser]

Originally Posted by rotes_haar

Hogwarts, though a building, is embued with thousands of special spells to protect the students and teachers within. She might easily have some booby traps that have not yet been set off. Perhaps it has to be on the order of the headmaster or when a certain place is breached by enemies.

Excellent point! There is a large amount of magic within Hogwarts itself.. Hermione has said so (which is why electronics don't work). But as the castle itself doesn't have a will of it's own, the magic manifests itself as random objects. Also, there are a number of spells that have made it what it is: The staircases move about, certain doors only pretend to be doors, steps vanish, etc. This would be evidence of directly applied magic by students and teachers. The most memorable of these that we got from OoTP was the bit of swamp that Prof. Flitwick left from the Twins.

But if you remember, Hogwarts was selected as a central location for the school because there was a large amount of magic associated with the site. This goes along with your point, rotes_haar, that the castle itself could become the dragon that is sleeping. There could be a number of safety features that would be applied once the Headmaster, whomever it was at the time, would call upon the castle to defend those inside. What those defenses are, we have yet to see..

[Desraelda]

Originally Posted by Scothoser

Excellent point! There is a large amount of magic within Hogwarts itself.. Hermione has said so (which is why electronics don't work). But as the castle itself doesn't have a will of it's own, the magic manifests itself as random objects. Also, there are a number of spells that have made it what it is: The staircases move about, certain doors only pretend to be doors, steps vanish, etc. This would be evidence of directly applied magic by students and teachers. The most memorable of these that we got from OoTP was the bit of swamp that Prof. Flitwick left from the Twins.

But if you remember, Hogwarts was selected as a central location for the school because there was a large amount of magic associated with the site. This goes along with your point, rotes_haar, that the castle itself could become the dragon that is sleeping. There could be a number of safety features that would be applied once the Headmaster, whomever it was at the time, would call upon the castle to defend those inside. What those defenses are, we have yet to see..

Well put together theory and one I haven't heard before. It makes perfect sense and we've seen it happen when DD made his spectacular exit from the headmaster's office and the office sealed itself against Professor Toad.

[Scothoser]

Thanks! Of course it's very much a Castle Roogna theory (see the Xanth series by Piers Anthony ^_^), but I think it holds weight here. Maybe it's a joint enchantment that was placed by all four founders before the falling out between Griffyndor and Slytherin. It would take a lot of powerful magic to either make specific attacks/defense moves be commanded by the Headmaster. And it would be even more of a feat of power if they gave the castle a sentience all it's own, to be awoken only when the castle or it's students are attacked.

It kind of gives you a warm fuzzy feeling when you think of the castle ripping up a tree and spanking Voldemort. ^_^ I don't think it would happen, but it would make me smile if it did.

[Dor]

The motto may refer to an old Welsh legend about a castle which was built in Snowdon over two quarreling dragons.

The text and link follow:

The Sleeping Dragons of Snowdon
Dinas Emrys, Caernarfonshire


The chief Vortigern, who asked the Saxons into England to help him, withdrew from the bother he himself had inflamed, to where the Conwy rises near Snowdon. There he began to build a castle. But what he built by day crumbled by night, and men told him that only the blood of a fatherless child would make his mortar resist darkness. Searches at last found such a child; it was Merlin, whose extraordinary wisdom stayed the murderers' hands. Merlin bade the men dig below the walls, where they found two sleeping Dragons, whose furious quarrels on waking caused the nightly downfall of the building.

http://www.britannia.com/history/leg.../legcol41.html


The Hogwarts motto was probably inspired by the conflict between Gryffindor and Slytherin. The message is clearly in line with the sorting-hat's warnings in OotP.

The connection this story makes between Hogwarts and Merlin is interesting, as well as the parallel between Merlin and Harry as two "fatherless" boys whose blood may have to be shed to prevent destruction.

Perhaps Harry, like Merlin, can escape being a sacrificial lamb by delving to the root cause of the trouble besetting the wizarding world so that it may be cured.

[mystica_magic]

Interesting article, but I think the sleeping dragon refers to Hogwarts itself or perhaps Dumbledore. (Like some others already mentioned)

Or it may be just a reflection of the overall theme of the story - good vs. evil. Just as someone who tickles a dragon pays for it by (possibly) being burnt to a crisp, evil can create obstacles in the path of good, but eventually, good triumphs.

On a subtler note, it could also mean that even the most sweet, timid individuals have dragons hidden within them, so they should not be provoked to the extent that the dragon awakens. For example, we see Ginny as a very shy and quiet girl in PS, but Malfoy was the one who made her see red and she actually spoke up for Harry when Malfoy teased him. Hence, The right amount of ...er..."tickling" can set off the dragon in a person.

Originally Posted by Dor

The connection this story makes between Hogwarts and Merlin is interesting, as well as the parallel between Merlin and Harry as two "fatherless" boys whose blood may have to be shed to prevent destruction.

I agree, this is very interesting. This allusion makes a lot of sense to me.

[Scothoser]

Originally Posted by Dor

The connection this story makes between Hogwarts and Merlin is interesting, as well as the parallel between Merlin and Harry as two "fatherless" boys whose blood may have to be shed to prevent destruction.

Perhaps Harry, like Merlin, can escape being a sacrificial lamb by delving to the root cause of the trouble besetting the wizarding world so that it may be cured.

That's a good point.. Prophecies are by no means perfect, or often mean something different than the obvious interpretation. It's very possible that "vanquish" and "kill" would mean to destroy all that is Voldemort, and not the actual person himself. Granted, this is very much a "Vader murdered your father, Luke" theory, but still possible. Harry would be able to cut the support from Voldemort from underneath him by bridging the gap between Slytherin's Pure Blood Supremacy idea, and the Gryffindor's natural hatred of that idea.

All very interesting ideas. But thinking about provoking dragons got me thinking: yeah, yeah, Harry vs. Draco. But there is someone else who we've seen even more blatantly provoke someone: James and Snape. James thoughtlessly picks on Snape. If Snape is the sleeping dragon in this case, has he awoken? I mean, is his hatred of Harry responsive to James' "tickling" or does the Potions Master have something more up his sleeve? Also, and I'm sorry I don't remember where I heard this, someone at some point in the series gets hit with a tickling curse at Hogwarts. I think it might be at the Dueling Club, but it could be later. Just thought it would be interesting to see who it was.

[Chad101]

If you want to do the Harry vs. Draco route.Techinicly Harry intentionaly made Malfoy hate him(tickled him if you will)by choosing a Weasely over a Malfoy.That wasn't just a tickle,it was a slap in the face.If you want to go to a more,unothidox route.That phrase may come in handy.Say the trio has to get somewhere,they incaounter a sleeping Dragon,Hermione's not thinking clearly and neither is Harry,there about to hit it with a spell,and then Ron reminds them,Never tickle a sleeping Dragon.

[Melis_Arg]

I didn't have time to read evey post, but i've given a lot of brains to this matter, and all I can think of is that Howards IS the dragon, so the frase would be to tell people no to disturb education or something like that... or an indication to the potencial wich and wizards that are inside, the little ones, that will one day become great, they are like sleeping dragons, I think it means "take care of them, don't disturb their minds so one day they become good dragons..."
does any one think this is stupid?

[HorcruxBuster]

Basically I think it is along the lines of look before you leap! in other words use your head (think). Be wise not foolish!

[MoonDaughter]

I agree with RheytheMuggle

While I think that the article is quite imaginative I believe that the author is over thinking a little bit. Aside from the motto being just plain good general advice, the motto is most likely a statement advising the reader not to "tickle" a specific "sleeping dragon" which would most likely be Hogwarts itself. In other words don't mess with Hogwarts or else. A warning that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters may discover the truth of if(when?) they decide to attack the school.

That really hits the nail on the head. I am not sure I agree with the editorial, although, it was very well written and is a very interesting theory.

[allxofxme]

Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus, properly translated into English, means "A Sleeping Dragon Is Never To Being Tickled." I believe that the motto is from the founding of the school when Wizards and Muggles did not get along (much like it is still is today) and they were probably persecuted. The Tickling refers to the persecution, and the Sleeping Dragon is the Wizarding community. The motto simply states that the Wizards and Witches want to be left alone, thus the creation of the school. However, if the Tickling does persist, there is no doubt that the Dragon will awake and retaliate against the persecution. If the motto was to be used as part of the plot in the books, I think that Draco would obviously be the Dragon and that he will help with the downfall of He Who Must Not Be Named. Draco's "sleepingness" is that he truly has a good side, as we may have already witnessed foreshadowing to this when we see that he is not able to kill Dombeldore.