To the Stars, by Not Doing Dumb Sh*t

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pdekraker

New Member

My daughter is leaving for college soon. I'm working on a little custom pendant design for her, on her new journey.

"Don't Do Dumb Sh*t" is kind of a family motto I've established for my kids over the years. I'm an aerospace engineer by training, so "Ad Astra" has always been a favorite of mine. My Intention is to place "Ad Astra" on the front face of the pendant, with some form of the above phrase on the rear. The idea is that, when read together, they say either "To the Stars, by Not Doing Dumb Sh*t", or simply "Ad Astra" on the front, and "Don't Do Dumb Sh*t" on the back face. Any help would be most appreciated; I understand Latin about as well as a monkey understands calculus.

Regards.
 
Agrippa

Agrippa

Civis Illustris

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Location:
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pdekraker dixit:
... simply "Ad Astra" on the front, and "Don't Do Dumb Sh*t" on the back face. ...
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Front face: Ad astra (AD ASTRA)

Back face: Cave quicquam inepte facias (CAVE QVICQVAM INEPTE FACIAS)
 
Glabrigausapes

Glabrigausapes

Philistine

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Location:
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My motto is: can't go wrong with a rhyme.

Si Velis Ad Astra, (If you'd like (to go) to the Stars)
Ne Caces Tua Castra (don't shit all over your own camp).
 
Glabrigausapes

Glabrigausapes

Philistine

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Location:
Milwaukee
Not to denigrate the previous efforts, but neither one communicates the age-old grittiness of 'dumb shit'. I really can't think of a Roman dysphemism for 'waste time/act imprudently', which is a cryin' shame.
 
Agrippa

Agrippa

Civis Illustris

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Location:
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pdekraker dixit:
Can Latin do "Don't Be An Idiot"?
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My first proposition (v. s.): Cave quicquam inepte facias!

Imitating Cicero's wording "ne quid stulte facias" (fam. 2.7.1) you might also say: Cave ne quid stulte facias! (i. e. Don't act foolishly!)
 
 
Bestiola

Bestiola

Nequissima

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Plautus has "insipiens" for "idiot" in "Casina", for example, so perhaps "insipiens ne sis" for "don't be an idiot" might work.
 
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Deleted member 13757

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"ne quid ille turbet, vide" Cic. Q 3.1

it is idiomatic for getting into trouble by doing stupid things or simply doing stupid shit.

"take care that that fellow doesn't get you into trouble"
 
scrabulista

scrabulista

Consul

  • Consul
Location:
Tennessee
pdekraker dixit:
Well, looks like I have some options. Thank you, everyone, for your time and expertise.
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ad astra per aspera is idiomatic - "to the stars through hardships."
I'm not sure about ad astra per ne quid stulte faciendum....
 
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