Words to Live By: Fortitudine Vincimus

I have been reading a few new blogs for a few weeks now. One of them belongs to Myles and each time I open his page I see his motto and think to myself how motivational it is to have a vision defining where you are going and where you have been. The phrase I read each time I open his site is "Fortitudine Vincimus- Through Endurance we conquer."
I am awed at the powerfulness of the written word and enjoy finding a meaningful turn of phrase. I am also a compulsive fact-checker, so today I set out to verify the translation of the phrase and possibly seek out some others that would be personally motivational in defining my own efforts. I stumbled upon a site that had lots of Latin phrases translated and as I read through them, I found myself creating a few lists I thought I would share with you all. My first list is a serious one, the others just made me laugh.....

Jenny’s Top Ten Mottos to Live by:
10. Audaces fortuna iuvat - Fortune favors the bold. (Virgil)
9. Experientia docet - Experience is the best teacher
8. Luctor et emergo - I struggle but I'll survive
7. Palmam qui meruit ferat - Let him who has earned it bear the reward
6. Pari passu - With equal pace - moving together
5. Per angusta in augusta - Through difficulties to great things
4. Poli, poli, di umbuendo - Slowly, Slowly we will get there
3. Res firma mitescere nescit - A firm resolve does not know how to weaken
2. Vincit qui se vincit - He conquers who conquers himself
1. Vitanda est improba siren desidia - One must avoid that wicked temptress, Laziness. (Horace)


Jenny’s Top Ten Conversational Latin Phrases:
10. In dentibus anticis frustrum magnum spiniciae habes - You have a big piece of spinach in your front teeth (for my sister the hygeinist)
9. Non plaudite. Modo pecuniam jacite - Don't applaud. Just throw money
8. Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit - A wise man does not urinate against the wind
7. Me oportet propter praeceptum te nocere - I'm going to have to hurt you on principle
6. Machina improba! Vel mihi ede potum vel mihi redde nummos meos! - You infernal machine! Give me a beverage or give me my money back!
5. Estne tibi forte magna feles fulva et planissima? - Do you by chance happen to own a large, yellowish, very flat cat?
4. Cum homine de cane debeo congredi - Excuse me. I've got to see a man about a dog (I always thought it was about a horse, but whatever........)
3. Cave canem, te necet lingendo - Beware of the dog, he may lick you to death (Accurate description of my dogs)
2. Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem - In the good old days, children like you were left to perish on windswept crags
1. Braccae tuae aperiuntur - Your fly is open (unfortunately, I need to use this phrase at my house WAY too much!)


Jenny's Top Ten Latin Quotes:
10. Certe, toto, sentio nos in kansate non iam adesse - You know, Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore
9. Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum - Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe
8. Mater tua criceta fuit, et pater tuo redoluit bacarum sambucus - Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries
7. Pone ubi sol non lucet! - Put it where the sun don't shine!
6. Solum potestis prohibere ignes silvarum - Only you are can prevent forest fires
5. Stercus accidit - Shit happens
4. Vescere bracis meis - Eat my shorts
3. Ascendo tuum - Up yours
2. Estne volumen in toga, an solum tibi libet me videre? - Is that a scroll in your toga, or are you just happy to see me?
1. Luke sum ipse patrem te - Luke, I am your father. -Star Wars (for my son Lucas, who hates this phrase)