Cf. [St. Ambrose, quoted in St. Augustine Letters xxxvi. 32] (Migne), quando hic sum, non ieiuno sabbato; quando Romae sum, ieiuno sabbato, when I am here [i.e. Milan], I do not fast on Saturday; when I am in Rome, I fast on Saturday; [1660 quoted in verse form in Jeremy Taylor, Ductor Dubitantium (1851) I. i. 5. 5] cum fueris Romae, Romano vivito more, cum fueris alibi, vivito sicut ibi, when you're in Rome, then live in Roman fashion; when you're elsewhere, then live as there they live.
Whan tho herd hat Rome Do so of ther the dome [when you are at Rome do as they do there].
[c 1475 in Modern Philology (1940) XXXVIII. 122]
That which is commonly in euery mans mouth in England Whan you art at Rome, do as they do at Rome.
[1552 R. Taverner tr. Erasmus' Adages (ed. 3) 51V]
My advice to you is among the Romans, do as the romans do.
[1766 in L. H. Butterfield et al. Adams Family Correspondence (1963) I. 55]
‘Do at Rome as the Romans do,’ is the essence of all politeness.
[1836 E. Howard Rattlin the Reefer I. xxii.]
‘I thought the English never bothered about protocol?’ ‘When in Rome, however, we do as the Romans do.’
[1960 N. Mitford Don't tell Alfred viii.]
One woman stationed there [Saudi Arabia] who purports to be comfortable with the rules said, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ But how far does that go? To feeding the lions?
[2001 Washington Post 8 Dec. A25]
Related to: circumstances; conduct
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
