Comments on: I need a Latin translation for "In books, truth, and in truth, monsters."

Question: I need a Latin translation for "In books, truth, and in truth, monsters."

Faint of Butt — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 22:54:14 -0800

I need a translation into Latin here. The phrase is: "In books, there is truth, and in truth, there are monsters." I'd like it to be as short and concise as possible, perhaps something like "In books, truth, and in truth, monsters." I'm working on a rather odd story right now, so I may have some more strange questions in the coming weeks. Thanks.

By: greycap

greycap — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 23:25:03 -0800

It would be something like "In libros veritas est; in veritatem monstra sunt". My Latin is a bit rusty though so there may be more elegant ways of expressing this.

By: greycap

greycap — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 23:39:26 -0800

Actually I've got that wrong - "in" would take the ablative in that phrase, I think. So replace my effort with "in libris veritas est; in veritate monstra sunt".

By: athenian

athenian — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 23:42:33 -0800

You could say it in four ways, each of which change the word order but not the sense:

1. Veritas in libris, monstra in veritate.
2. In libris veritas, in veritate monstra.
3. Veritas in libris, in veritate monstra.
4. In libris veritas, monstra in veritate.

1 and 2 are more elegant (they use chiasmus - the AB-BA balancing that emphasises the two uses of veritas). But all four are correct.

By: Jofus

Jofus — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 03:06:12 -0800

And, if it counts for anything at all, I like 2 the best.

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 03:34:50 -0800

Thank you muchly. athenian's suggestion #2 is exactly what I was looking for.

By: Chorus

Chorus — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 04:22:27 -0800

Yeah, #2 needs to be on a t-shirt or something...

By: joedan

joedan — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 06:18:52 -0800

I want to read that story on the strength of that phrase alone.

By: greycap

greycap — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 06:27:51 -0800

Bah, pipped to the post for best answer again. Ho hum... :)

Any way of posting the story to Projects once it's done? It does sound intriguing.

By: Jilder

Jilder — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 07:02:45 -0800

Add my vote to the people wanting to see the monsters!

By: briank

briank — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 08:02:07 -0800

I know you've already picked a best answer, but let me suggest that instead of "in", you actually might like to use "ex"

Ex libris veritas, ex veritate monstra

This way the phrase conveys the idea that ideas emanate from sources. "From books ideas, from ideas monsters".

It's not as literal as athenian's translation, but I think it's more in keeping with the idea you're trying to convey.

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 08:31:59 -0800

Thanks, briank, but "in" is what I needed. I should be able to post the story to Projects sometime in November; I'm actually working on it for a proposed anthology, so assuming I'm accepted (cross wood, knock on fingers) I'll have to play by the publisher's rules. But here's hoping it all turns out well. Thank you all for your aid and support.

And as long as I have the floor for some shameless self-promotion, visit MicroHorror.com!