Pax Victis
In 1930, the residents of Dedham, Mass. paid $12,600 for a war memorial on which was inscribed the phrase "Pax Victis." But six years later a Latinist pointed out that the phrase meant "Peace to the conquered," which didn't quite sound right. It's along the lines of 'Slavery is Freedom.' So the city paid $400 to change the inscription to "Pax Victoribus" -- "Peace to the victorious." But apparently that didn't sound quite right either because eventually it was changed to read simply "Pax." [Waterville Times - Apr 16, 1936 (pdf)]
Comments
Reminds me of the scene from "Life Of Brian" where the Roman soldier corrects Brian on his use of Latin and makes him write it out a hundred times so that he never forgets the lesson.
"Hail Caesar! And if it's not done by sunrise, I'll cut your balls off."
"Hail Caesar! And if it's not done by sunrise, I'll cut your balls off."
Posted by KDP on 08/16/13 at 10:38 AM
At least it wasn't written in stoooo :red: OOPs!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/16/13 at 12:14 PM
A war memorial that simply declares "peace" seems just as Orwellian to me.
Posted by Miles on 08/16/13 at 12:32 PM
In 1930, when Catholics still used Latin in church, any one of them could have told you the best phrase would have been "Pax vobiscum" - "Peace be with you". (No, I'm not quite that old myself.)
Posted by tadchem on 08/16/13 at 01:33 PM
Google says: 'uictor pacem "peace victorious" in Latin'
I think that's what they were probably going for.
I think that's what they were probably going for.
Posted by Cobweb on 08/16/13 at 01:39 PM
EGO diligo proinde EGO operor sic (especially my ladies)
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 08/16/13 at 06:16 PM
Very sweet BD! I like peace be with you.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 08/16/13 at 06:56 PM
Ars Gratia Artis!
RRROOOAAAARRRR!!!!! :lol: :coolsmile:
RRROOOAAAARRRR!!!!! :lol: :coolsmile:
Posted by Tyrusguy on 08/16/13 at 07:20 PM
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/17/13 at 12:35 AM
Sola lingua bona est lingua mortua.
Posted by Phideaux on 08/17/13 at 10:12 PM
I only know a few phrases in Latin. My motto is ILLIGITIMI NON CARBOBORUNDUM
And I don't give a damn if my spelling is wrong.
And I don't give a damn if my spelling is wrong.
Posted by BMN on 08/17/13 at 11:27 PM
I dunno, "Peace [also] to the conquered" seems a pretty decent motto to the victors of a war, to me. Rather better than "Plunder the conquered, then let them rot where they lie", as is all too often the case.
Point in case: after WWI, Germany was thoroughly plundered and humiliated, and this contributed not a little to the rise of Nazism. After WWII, Germany was helped get back up, and given some peace. The result is that relations between Germany and its neighbours (including my own country) have never been better.
Pax Victis: It Works.
Point in case: after WWI, Germany was thoroughly plundered and humiliated, and this contributed not a little to the rise of Nazism. After WWII, Germany was helped get back up, and given some peace. The result is that relations between Germany and its neighbours (including my own country) have never been better.
Pax Victis: It Works.
Posted by Richard Bos on 08/18/13 at 01:16 PM
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Category: Statues, Monuments and Memorials | War | 1930s