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December 3, 2008 7:26 AM   Subscribe

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 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
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


Best answer: 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


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