From strong coneheads, sailing.

December 3, 2008 7:26 AM

Latin Translation Request: "Vire sone couirit eundo"

I've got no understanding of Latin at all. I managed to get a definition of all the stem words, I think, but since I don't know the grammar or any nuance, I'm still scratching my head.

vire sone couirit eundo

Also, I may have gotten this wrong. It's a carved inscription on a coat of arms that I'm trying to figure out the origin of. The meaning of the motto will be very helpful to me in this. Unfortunately, while I was on site and taking pics, I did a lousy job with this one. I've played with it a bit and I'm pretty sure that I have it transcribed correctly, but it's not 100% certain.

Thanks hivemind!

posted by ursus_comiter to writing & language (3 comments total)

It may well be vires acquirit eundo, which is a quote from Virgil and means "we gather strength as we go".
posted by greycap at 8:20 AM on December 3, 2008

More specifically, now I've had a chance to look up the reference, it is from Aeneid Book IV, 175. Literally translated it's "it gathers strength by going".
posted by greycap at 8:25 AM on December 3, 2008

Um - further clarification, the carving in your photo is actually viresque acquirit eundo - the que tacked onto a word means 'and'.
posted by greycap at 8:33 AM on December 3, 2008