It is simple, contains errors (see the interpretation of A.D., the date of Christ's birth, the translation of 'annuit coeptis') but the message gets across in a mild and friendly way. What about a campaign of submissions to local papers in the UK from Classics departments?
Latin is scattered throughout our modern language
September 29, 2004Latin may be dead, but its bones are scattered throughout the modern world - if you know where to look.
Take the American dollar as an example. Our founding fathers were great students of Latin. They incorporated not one but three Latin phrases into the design of the $1 bill. The most famous of these Latin phrases is found in the great seal of the United States. E Pluribus Unum, our nation's motto, translates to "one from many." No doubt this refers to the original 13 states (many) that formed our country (one).
The next Latin phrase, Annuit Coeptis, is taken straight out of Virgil's Aeneid and can be found opposite the great seal - just above the pyramid. The English translation is "He (God) has favored our beginning."
The final Latin phrase, found below the pyramid, is Novus ordo seclorum, which means "a new order of the ages." There were no democracies in the world at the time of the founding of the United States. Our founding fathers had to pattern our nation on the ancient Republics of the Greco-Roman world.
Another plentiful source of Latin in our modern world is the Victoria Advocate. Victoria is the Roman goddess of Victory. (You may know her better by her Greek name, Nike.) All the signs of the zodiac are in fact Latin words. (Taurus - bull, Pisces - fish, Aries - ram, Cancer-crab, Scorpio-scorpion, Leo-lion, Virgo-maiden, Aquarius-water carrier, Gemini-twins, Capricorn-goat, Sagittarius-archer and Libra-scales).
Even today's date is full of classical references. September comes from the Latin word septem, meaning seven. On the pre-Caesar Roman calendar, September was the seventh month of the year. (October comes from the Latin word octo meaning "eight." On the pre-Caesar Roman calendar, October was the eighth month of the year.)
The year is 2004 A.D. A.D. is the abbreviation for Anno Domine, meaning "in the year of our Lord." It is a common misconception that A.D. stands for "after death," but logically it does not work. Christ was born in 1 A.D., more than 30 years before his crucifixion.
The Junior Classical League at MHS hopes you have enjoyed our tour of Latin in use in our modern world. We hope it gives you a new perspective. The language and culture of the ancient Romans are the basis of much of our western culture, and Latin lives in the world all around us.
# The Junior Classical League is a student organization at Memorial High School dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Classical studies. Historical features written by the group appear occasionally in the Advocate.
