Tattoo Think for yourself. Question everything.

[Callaina]

Indeed, puta occurs in the imperative as an idiom that sort of literally tells people what to think, or imagine: it's used to introduce an example as in legam aliquid, puta carmen = literally "I'll read something, think/imagine a poem", i.e. "I'll read something, say, a poem" or "... for instance, a poem". Literally, that's basically telling your addressee to think, as an example for the time being, that the thing you'll read will be a poem.

Ah, interesting; I wasn't aware of that idiom, but it makes sense.

 

[Pacifica]

Not sure about the exclusion of an absolute use here. If I say tibi scribendum est, "you've got to write," am I necessarily implying a particular object (hoc / haec), or might I be saying: composition is an act in which you should be engaging (whatever it is you are writing). Parallel: Reckoning is something you have to do, whatever it is you are reckoning.

I wouldn't object to scribo in the sense of "engaging in writing" without specifying what (though it still remains transitive in a way; the object is just not mentioned).

Puto, on the other hand, doesn't commonly* mean "to engage in thinking/reflexion". It means thinking a particular thing, thinking such and such. Even in the event that what the person was thinking wasn't explicitly stated, it would still usually* mean holding a certain opinion or belief, thinking or imagining that something is the case.

*There might be some exception to be found somewhere. You never know. What I know is that puto in the sense of engaging in reflexion isn't common usage.

 

[Callaina]

*There might be some exception to be found somewhere. You never know.

Perhaps somewhere, but given your near-photographic memory and knowledge of the canon, I think we can safely say that even if it did appear somewhere, it would be viewed by most Roman authors as non-standard and probably wrong.

 

[R. Seltza]

"Question Everything" was one of the 1st ever phrases that I had translated for me on this forum a while back. MaiKro, if you're interested in options other than exige omnia, then a good alternative translation for it would be what was provided for me, which was in omnia inquire (meaning "Inquire Into Everything").

I also had "Think For Yourself" translated for me on this forum a while back as well. I had that translated for me as ipse cogita, so I third this translation.

 

[syntaxianus]

Thanks for the extended discussion. I think the OP doesn't so much want "Engage in your own reflections" as much as "Come to your own conclusions / judgments / reckonings." And I wonder if cogitare adequately suggests that latter idea.

I wouldn't find it strange to hear an open-ended motto like "You gotta have hope." Sperandum tibi est. Or "Believe!" as in The Polar Express. Credendum est.

 

[Pacifica]

"Come to your own conclusions / judgments / reckonings."

That would be something like ipse iudica.

 

[MaiKro]

Thank you all for the discussion.