Latin Proverbs, Mottoes, Phrases, and Words: Group O

1. In law, an expression of opinion on a matter of law, given by a judge in court in the course of either argument or judgment, but not forming an essential part of the reasons determining the decision, and therefore not of binding authority; hence generally, anything said by the way, an incidental statement or remark.
2. Something said, done, or occurring by the way; an incidental matter.

An incidental remark or opinion by a judge that is not binding on the final decision; a digression; a casually interjected comment or reflection.

Such a thing as issued by a judge means an opinion that may have some influence over the jury and lawyers present, an opinion based on experience and wisdom but that has not been thoroughly researched, is not entered into a judgment, and has no legal force.

1. He [or she] died.
2. Etymology: from 1706, "register of deaths"; from Middle Latin obituarius, "a record of the death of a person"; literally, "pertaining to death", from Latin obitus, "departure, a going to meet, an encounter" (a euphemism for "death"); from the stem of obire, "go to meet"; such as in mortem obire "to meet death"; from ob, "to, toward" and ire, "go".

A death list or an inscription found on tombstones and in church records. The Latin verb obire means "to go to" or "to go over" thought to mean a reference to the River Styx and certainly no less euphemistic than our modern expression "to pass over".

Obiit is found on many tombstones, abbreviated as ob.: "nasc. 1901, ob. 1933".

The English word "obituary" comes from this Latin element.

I was stupefied, and my hair stood on end, and my voice stuck to my throat.

A description of the physical effects of fear, from Virgil's Aeneid; with an equivalent meaning of, "I was scared stiff."

Recognize opportunity.

Another translation: "Strike while the iron is hot."

Hatred, hateful, hate; bitterness; disgusting; offensive; opprobrium; annoyance.

Odium is a part of several Latin phrases with the central idea of "hate", "bitterness" or "offense":

• odium aestheticum, the bitter rivalry among artists and writers.
• odium medicum, the bitter rivalry among physicians of one speciality as opposed to another field of treatment or medical controversies that result in hatred.
• odium musicum, the hatred of (rival) musicians; the bitterness of musical styles.
• odium scholasticum, the spitefulness and hatreds resulting from scholarly disputes.
• odium theologicum, a mutual antagonism (sometimes hatred?) among theologians as a result of acrimony based on differences in doctrinal interpretations or other religious differences.

  Many odium theologicum animosities have resulted in bloody-religious wars over the centuries; some of which continue to this day.

O, run slowly, slowly, horses of the night!

Originally from Ovid's "Amore" (Liber I, XIII, Line 40: Lente currite noctis equi) with reference to horses pulling Time’s chariot, and he wants the night to stretch out so he can spend more time with his mistress. Later used in Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe, metaphorically spoken by Faustus who is awaiting the appearance of Lucifer, who is expected to collect Faustus' soul when the clock strikes midnight.

The basis of the Faust story is that Faustus sold his soul to the Devil in return for twenty-four years of further life during which he was to have every pleasure and all knowledge at his command; but, then he had to surrender his soul to Lucifer. At eleven o'clock, the last hour of his life, Faustus tried to conceive of every way to escape hell. For one thing, he commanded the sun to stay still, so that the hour would not pass; as seen in O lente, lente currite noctis equi!.

1. To move every stone.
2. To leave no stone unturned.

"Keep trying" or do the very best in an enterprise or project.

All the others.

Nothing is ours except time.

All Things for All People Everywhere.

Motto of Harrods's Department Store (of London).

Love conquers everything.

All knowledge comes through the senses. -Lucretius

Of all the occupations in which gain is secured, none is better than agriculture, none more profitable, none more delightful, none more becoming to a freeman.

This motto, written by Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.), is also reproduced in a shorter version in the entrance foyer of the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture: Nihil melius nihil homine libero dignius, quam agricultura.

In the work cited.

In the midst of work.

This phrase could be useful when you are interrupted by the phone and you respond with, "Hello, you just caught me opere in medio." Pronounced as [AW puh ruh in MEH dee oh].