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Main => The Armoury => Topic started by: Sir Edward on 2012-04-24, 18:29:36

Title: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Edward on 2012-04-24, 18:29:36

Good sir Joe Metz on the Days of Knights facebook thread just showed us the shield he reworked, and he put an inscription on the back edge that reads: "Deo duce, Ferro comitante" (meaning roughly "God is my leader, Iron my companion", or substitute "sword" for "iron").

I think we've talked about this sort of thing before, but other than discussing naming swords, I didn't find a specific thread about it.

What sorts of things would you consider inscribing on a sword or shield?

I threw a few things into google translate and got these ideas:

* Ego sum ​​hoste pessimo.  (I am the worst enemy)

* Gladium meum in Dei obsequium. (My sword in the service of God)


I just thought it might be fun to bounce some ideas around. I haven't come up with anything for myself specifically yet... though I finally put that "truth and honor" thing under my avatar into Latin.

Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Rodney on 2012-04-24, 18:51:02
Our mercenary company uses "Inquit Corvus" which literally translates as "said the raven" and grammatically translates as "quoth the raven".  This ties to Edgar Allan Poe and thus our name (Nevermore), principal charge (a raven) and any other The Raven tie-ins you can dream up.

1845 isn't very medieval, but Poe's alot of fun!  ;)

... `Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.' ....

Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Thorsteinn on 2012-04-24, 23:24:37
http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/armor.shtml (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/armor.shtml)

Find "Kennings for Weapons".

My helm now reads "Sverdbrjotr' (Sword-breaker) in Elder Futhark. ;)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Edward on 2012-04-25, 15:42:19

"Suus iustus a caro iniuriam"  (It's only a flesh wound)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Gerard de Rodes on 2012-04-25, 21:13:20

"Suus iustus a caro iniuriam"  (It's only a flesh wound)

LMAO  ;D
G.
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Wolf on 2012-04-25, 21:52:58
che sara sara
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Joshua Santana on 2012-04-26, 15:13:36
Quote
Gladium meum in Dei obsequium. (My sword in the service of God)

I like that quote!  ;D 

If I had to come up with an engraving, it would be something like this:

"Honorare scutum meum, veritas mea gladio" = "Honor my shield, Truth my sword"
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir William on 2012-04-26, 15:51:39
I like this one: "Corpora tecta ferro, eorum animas per fidem"

loosely translates to:  "Their bodies covered by iron, their souls by faith", ascribed to Bernard of Clairvoux.  ;)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Joshua Santana on 2012-04-26, 17:58:06
Quote
I like this one: "Corpora tecta ferro, eorum animas per fidem"

loosely translates to:  "Their bodies covered by iron, their souls by faith", ascribed to Bernard of Clairvoux.

That is awesome!  Very good quote!   ;D
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir William on 2012-04-26, 17:59:17
I thank Sir Nathan for bringing it to my attention as he's used the English translation for quite some time.
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Joshua Santana on 2012-04-26, 18:04:41
Excellent!  This is what I call fun with Latin engravings, these quotes are good ideas for personal mottos.  I think I have found my personal motto.  :D
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir William on 2012-04-26, 21:09:57
I tend to use this one on other forums:  "Odi et amo, excrucior."  Translated:  "I hate and I love, it hurts."

That's as human as it gets, in my humble opinion.
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Joshua Santana on 2012-04-26, 21:25:13
Quote
I tend to use this one on other forums:  "Odi et amo, excrucior."  Translated:  "I hate and I love, it hurts."

That's as human as it gets, in my humble opinion.

Human? I say that is awesome and true.   ;)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Thorsteinn on 2012-04-26, 22:01:56
"Alea Iacta Est. Moriamur Et In Media Arma Ruamus. Una Salus Victis Nullam Sperare Salutem."

~ The die is cast. Let us be killed even as we rush into the midst of battle. The one hope of the doomed is not to hope for safety (a paraphrase of the Aeneid).

 :D 8)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir James A on 2012-04-27, 05:07:40
Depends on the audience, but "confringam ventus in ducis directionem" could be a fun one. :)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Edward on 2012-04-27, 12:09:51
Depends on the audience, but "confringam ventus in ducis directionem" could be a fun one. :)

lol, what's even better is how google translates it:   "I break wind in the direction of the general".

I don't think the general will be terribly pleased. :)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Wolf on 2012-04-27, 13:51:10
ahhahaha
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Rodney on 2012-04-27, 14:55:38
 :)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Thorsteinn on 2012-04-27, 18:17:00
Eddie Izzard - Live at Madison Square Garden 2011 full (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=kzEJI4_aoT0#t=3543s)
@59:15
"The Roman army famed for it's organization! But how did they do this with a language that was... silly, silly, silly?"
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir James A on 2012-04-27, 18:37:19
Depends on the audience, but "confringam ventus in ducis directionem" could be a fun one. :)

lol, what's even better is how google translates it:   "I break wind in the direction of the general".

I don't think the general will be terribly pleased. :)

It wouldn't take 'fart' so I put 'break wind', as 'I break wind in your general direction'; interesting it changes it to AT the general :)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Edward on 2012-04-27, 18:47:04

Yeah, it's probably a very literal translation. Instead of "general direction" it says "direction of the general". Blah... who needs grammar. :)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Joshua Santana on 2012-04-28, 00:29:12
LOL!  Latin does have some words that when pronounced will sound something awkward and funny simultaneously.  :)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Thorsteinn on 2012-04-30, 06:04:10
Best I could do with Google Translate:

Ego interficiam omnes qui adversantur.
In interitus velox.
In exitium esse molesta.
Ego interitu tota non miserebitur.
Amen.

I Shall Stomp Upon All Who Oppose me.
The Stomping Shall Be Swift.
The Stomping Shall Be Painful.
And I shall Show No Mercy In All Of My Stomping.
Amen.
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Sir Edward on 2012-04-30, 13:31:50
I Shall Stomp Upon All Who Oppose me.
The Stomping Shall Be Swift.
The Stomping Shall Be Painful.
And I shall Show No Mercy In All Of My Stomping.
Amen.


Excellent. :)

Of course I've always loved this one (I have it on a bumper sticker): Carpe Noctem (seize the night)
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Joshua Santana on 2012-04-30, 14:00:11
Quote
Ego interficiam omnes qui adversantur.
In interitus velox.
In exitium esse molesta.
Ego interitu tota non miserebitur.
Amen.

I Shall Stomp Upon All Who Oppose me.
The Stomping Shall Be Swift.
The Stomping Shall Be Painful.
And I shall Show No Mercy In All Of My Stomping.
Amen.

Nicely done Rautt!  :)

Why not this one?  "equitare ad victoriam!"  "Ride to Victory!"
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Thorsteinn on 2012-04-30, 23:45:22
One of the Legion's motto's ("The Legion dies;  It does not surrender!"-Cpt Jean Danjou (http://badassoftheweek.com/danjou.html))changed for the individual in Latin.

Moriar, sed non deditio!
I will die but I will not surrender!

Today is Cameron Day, at least it is in the Legion Of The Damned books.
Title: Re: Engravings and inscriptions on swords and shields
Post by: Joshua Santana on 2012-05-01, 00:04:40
Quote
Moriar, sed non deditio!
I will die but I will not surrender!

Nice!  That is awesome!   ;D