Translation

[Dwight Gruber]

"Si vis pacem, para bellum."

I've been looking at this phrase and its gernerally accepted translation. Now, I'm not a Latin speaker but I do have good language sensibilities, and it has always seemed to me that something isn't quite right--the sticking point is the word "vis".

Having some time on my hands this evening, I did a little bit of poking around on the internet. Vis, in the context of its surrounding words, refers to seeing, or the root of the latin for face.

I would suggest that a more accurate translation, certainly a more poetic one, is: "If you would see peace, prepare for war."

--Dwight

[wterrell]

Absolutely correct, Dwight.

[Vlim]

Well,

Vis is dutch for fish,
Pacem sounds like pak 'em or 'get it' in dutch,

So I guess that in Dutch it would be like:

wanna catch fish? use parabellum....

[ViggoG]

Gerben,
Mein Freund, Das ist gutt, Ven U Gottem ina Barrel ! <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />
ViggoG

[wterrell]

Aut insanit homo, aut versus facit.
Vir bonus, dicendi peritus.

Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus interpres.
(transliterate)

Amoto quaeramus seria ludo: Lugers. Assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit.

[wterrell]

vis V 3 1 PRES ACTIVE IMP 2 S
viso, visere, visi, visus V
go to see, visit, look at;

[Ron Wood]

Aw, c'mon! I haven't used Latin since high school, and that was just shortly after the fall of the Roman Empire (or at least it seems that way).

[wterrell]

OK, Ron,
For you:

The fellow is either mad or he is a poet.
He's a good man, skilled in words.

As an accurate translator you will take care not to translate word for word.
(transliterate)

Joking aside, let us turn to serious matters: Lugers. Constant practice devoted to one subject often excells both intelligence and skill.

--------------------
Don't call me, I'll call you,
wes

[Mark A]

Semen, dardago! Tousin busis inaro. Nojo, demis trux, summit cowsin, summit dux.

[Ron Wood]

Thank you Wes. Non sum qualis eram.

[Lugerdoc]

Ron, In this Marcus Areilus quote, Vis is usually liberally translated "seek", rather than the literal would see or wish. Tom H.

[ViggoG]

And these above posts, Gentlemen, are the best argument for a Mono Linguistic Society that I have ever Perused !
ViggoG

[Pelorat]

Not at all. Learn Latin and you gain a clearer insight into English and every other Romance language.

That's why I chose Latin in high school and my first year at college, over more 'practical' ones like Spanish or German. Wish I'd kept up with it.

[ViggoG]

Pelorat,
I totally agree to the extent that any knowledge is good.
I do not agree that One, or many, who take "Willing" advantage of of living in a Free Society are allowed to demand that the majority of the "Free Society" be forced to become multi lingual and abandon their native Language to accept a polygot of intermixed languages which requires much of their precious educational time at the expense of the other education that prepares one to excell in their own chosen field.
ViggoG <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" />

[Pelorat]

Eh? Where'd that come from?

All I was talking about was exactly what I stated, learn Latin and you will have an easier time learning English, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, and a few others that I'm probably missing.

Nothing else, implicit or explicit.

Aside, perhaps, from the fact that learning is a Good Thing.

[wterrell]

The study of language, history, literature, science, etc., will direct you to the study of Latin and Greek, with no demands or force, if you are a curious student.
Be happy that our physicians, scholars, and scientists are not compelled to comply to the lowest common denominator.

As an aside: The fully engaged, active, inquisitive, occupied, challenged mind excels at everything that it attempts. If too much intellectual activity hinders one from succeeding, one has not developed an agile mind.

[Navy]

Wes,
I must admit that as an old fart, I think I am beginning to like you and your attitude.
Tom A

[Mark A]

You English think you invented the language! And even I know that Fries are French.