Hic Rhodus, hic salta

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The Latin expression Hic Rhodus, hic salta (lit. transl. Here is Rhodes, jump here!) originated from one of Aesop's Fables, namely The Boasting Traveller. In the original Greek, it is rendered Αὐτοῦ γὰρ καὶ Ῥόδος καὶ πήδημα.

A Man who had travelled in foreign lands, boasted very much, on returning to his own country, of the many wonderful and heroic things he had done in the different places he had visited. Among other things, he said that when he was at Rhodes he had leaped to such a distance that no man of his day could leap anywhere near him—and as to that, there were in Rhodes many persons who saw him do it, and whom he could call as witnesses. One of the bystanders interrupting him, said, "Now, my good man, if this be all true there is no need of witnesses. Suppose this to be Rhodes; and now for your leap."

The listener is challenged to prove his claims directly instead of relying on absent witnesses.^[1]