"With Courage and Honour" - any suggestions?

G

grandtheory

New Member

Hi

I have a Griffin tattoo on my arm and I was hoping to jazz it up with some nice latin lettering. The griffin is a symbol of strength and protection and I'm trying to think of something in keeping with this symbolism. I was considering the following:

1. "With Courage and Honour"

2. "With Strength and Honour"

3. "Courage, Honour, Wisdom"

I would be very grateful for the latin translations.

Many thanks
 
E

Errans

New Member

Cum fortitudis et honoris.
Cum viris et honoris.
Cum fortitudis, honoris, et prudentiis.

Fine. Vale.
 
C

Cato

Consularis

  • Consularis
Location:
Chicago, IL
Fortitudo = "Bravery, courage"
Vires = "Strength" (technically plural; it refers to all your physical resources)
Honor = "Honor"
Sapientia = "Wisdom" (Prudentia is another possibility, though this is probably more like "foresight")

Combine these in any way with the word et = "and" to make a simple declaration, e.g. "Courage and Honor" = Fortitudo et Honor

In putting these in a phrase with the word "with", you use the Latin word cum="with". However, this word takes objects in the ablative, so you need the ablative form for all these words: Fortitudine, Viribus, Honore, Sapientia. Thus, "With Courage and Honor" = Cum Fortitudine et Honore.

Some Latinists may quibble that the ending que = "also" is better here in place of et; this ending is tacked onto the second of whatever two things you're combining, e.g. Cum Fortitudine Honoreque = Cum Fortitudine et Honore. It's a matter of style--I prefer the et because it keeps the two ideas distinct--so choose the one you like best.

Finally, please note the Romans had a word Virtus, which is difficult to translate because it combined all these manly qualities (Bravery, Honor, Strength). The English word "Virtue" comes from this, but that does not capture the meaning of the original Latin, where the word is associated closely with the qualities a man should possess. Ablative of this is virtute; cum virtute = "with courage/strength".
 
G

grandtheory

New Member

Thanks. All very informative and interesting. I have also always liked the old expression - "fortune favours the brave". In my business life I have found this to be very true. Does anyone know the latin translation?

Thanks again.
 
C

Cato

Consularis

  • Consularis
Location:
Chicago, IL
grandtheory dixit:
Thanks. All very informative and interesting. I have also always liked the old expression - "fortune favours the brave". In my business life I have found this to be very true. Does anyone know the latin translation?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Fortes fortuna adjuvat - "Fortune favors the brave" is an old Latin proverb found (among other places) in Pliny the Younger's letter describing the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. To improve alliteration, some organizations have changed this to Fortuna fortibus favet, e.g. the motto of the 3rd US Marine battallion.
 
G

grandtheory

New Member

Another question with regards to this. What about capital letters? Should each word have one or does it not matter? For example:

Fortes Fortuna Adjuvet

or

Fortes fortuna adjuvet

or

fortes fortuna adjuvet

Thanks
 
C

Cato

Consularis

  • Consularis
Location:
Chicago, IL
I don't believe it really matters, though of course the Romans would have written this with ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
 
J

Jose Morales

New Member

Hi, Could you help me with a rough translation of the phrase "live with honour, courage and wisdom", it's a tattoo i've been wanting for a time, but i don't wanna mess it up by miss spelling it or something.

Thanks beforehand
 
Manus Correctrix

Manus Correctrix

QVAE CORRIGIT

  • Civis Illustris
Location:
Victoria
Arca Defectionis

Arca Defectionis

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris
Location:
USA
This is just a preference, but I think an ablative of manner should include "cum" (as in the college honor titles; "summa cum laude," etc)

And it means "to live honorably, with wisdom and virtue" or something of the sort.
 
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