anyone know latin.

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Hoppy590

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many of us know, "Ultima Ratio Regnum" means "The Final Argument of Kings". King Louis XIV had these words stamped onto the barrel of his cannons. does anyone know latin enough to reword this to something like

"the final arguemant for kings" "the final arguement against kings" ect ?

this is gun related. i figure its a good "Molon Labe" type saying
 
Ultima Ratio Contra Reges

(or so says my foggy memory of highschool Latin. Contra takes the accusative. Rex -> Reges, Reges, Reges...)
 
A Latin phrase meaning something similar:

Sic Semper Tyrannis

"Thus always to tyrants"


Supposedly said by Brutus as he killed Caesar. State motto of VA. Supposedly said by J. Wilkes Booth as he shot Lincoln.



-MV
 
I'm rusty, too, but here goes.

Ratio Reges Ultima (final argument of kings)

Tellner has it right for "against" kings rather than "of" kings.
 
My own high-school Latin is also showing its age, but I've thought it might be neat to engrave a rifle barrel or handgun with a similar but different motto:

Ultima Ratio Cives - The Final Argument of a Citizen.
 
but I've thought it might be neat to engrave a rifle barrel or handgun with a similar but different motto
Click to expand...

thats part of what got me thinking

thanks for the input thus far guys.

wich do you think works better?
Ultima Ratio Contra Reges - Final argument against kings
Ultima Ratio Cives - The Final Argument of a Citizen.
 
Having never taken Latin in school (many years ago), I could probably add that language to those (Vietnamese, and Thai are two) where I would get my face slapped.
 
Sic Semper Tyrannis
"Thus always to tyrants"

Supposedly said by Brutus as he killed Caesar. State motto of VA. Supposedly said by J. Wilkes Booth as he shot Lincoln.
Click to expand...

MatthewVanitas
You beat me to it. Of course it also helps to tell people that the Virginia state flag has a picture of lady justice, holding a spear, standing over the corpse of a tyrant. (suddenly the motto makes more sense).


Another one that pops into mind is
Abusus non tollit usum - Wrong use does not preclude proper use.
 
I don't pretent to remember everything, but a few minutes with a dictionary as a refersher, I think it should be

Ultima - Adj
lesser; far; farther; farthest, latest; last; highest, greatest;

Ratio - Noun
account, reckoning, invoice; plan; prudence; method; reasoning; rule; regard;

Civis - Noun
fellow citizen; countryman/woman; citizen, free person; a Roman citizen;

Contra - Prep
against, facing, opposite; weighed against; as against; in resistance/reply to;
contrary to, not in conformance with; the reverse of; otherwise than;
towards/up to, in direction of; directly over/level with; to detriment of;

Tyrannus - Noun
tyrant; despot; monarch, absolute ruler; king, prince;

Regis - Noun
king;

Ultima Ratio Civis Contra Tyrannus Regis
[the] last method [of a/the] citizen against [a] Tyrant [and/or] King

Ultima Ratio Civis Contra Regis Tyrannus
[the] last method [of a/the] citizen against [a] King [and/or] Tyrant

however I can't remember if the nouns are in the right place, if Civis should come last or not?
 
from:
http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/wordes.exe


ulterior -ius compar. as from ulter , [farther, more distant, more advanced, more remote]. Superl. ultimus -a -um, [most distant, farthest, extreme]; in time or succession, either [original] or [last, final]; 'ad ultimum', [to the last]; 'ultimum', [for the last time]; in rank, etc., either [highest, greatest], or [meanest, lowest].


defendo -fendere -fendi -fensum (1) [to repel , repulse, ward off, drive away] (2) [to defend, protect]; esp. [to defend in court]; in argument, [to maintain a proposition or statement]; [to sustain a part].

appugno -are [to assault , fight against].
incurso -are [to run against , strike against, attack

regnum -i n. (1) [royal power , monarchy, supremacy; tyranny]. (2) [a realm, kingdom, estate].
].

so: Ultimum Defendo Incurso Regnum or
Ultimum Defendo Appugno Regnum
 
No offense, oneshot, but that's not quite right. I don't remember much about my Latin, but I do remember that when you look up a verb, such as "defendo" it means "I defend." Defendare means "to defend" etc. That's the verb form. Not the noun form. You need the word for "defense" not "defend."

And I can't believe that we're sitting here picking apart latin :)
 
ok taking jcoiii'srecomendation

defense:

adsumptivus -a -um [deriving its defense from an extraneous cause].

arma -orum n. pl. [defensive arms , armor, weapons of war]; hence [war, soldiers, military power; protection, defense];in gen. [tools, equipment].

inermis -e [unarmed , defenseless, helpless].

inermus -a -um [unarmed , defenseless, helpless].

nudus -a -um [naked , bare, uncovered; defenseless, deprived; unadorned, plain; bare, mere, alone, only].

recuso -are [to object to , protest against, refuse]; legal, [to take exception, plead in defense].

Ultimum Recuso Incurso Regnum or
Ultimum Recuso Appugno Regnum
still probably not a perfect translation but they would get the point, especially if the cannons are pointed at them.
 
How about the Spanish or Latin for:

"Draw me not without just cause: Sheath me not without honor."

Apparently a common engraving on calvary swords...
 
Now for bonus points, spell it phonetically for pronounciation in classical Latin! :p

jm, summa cum laude, National Latin Exam 1987, but I've forgotten most everything . . .
 
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