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

This is an anagram that is said to come from an unknown medieval writer. Readers of the New Testament will recall that, when Christ was taken before Pilate as a criminal, He said, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."

When Pilate asked, "What is truth?" (Quid est veritas?) there is no indication that Christ replied; however, the medieval anagrammatist pointed out that, strangely enough, the question contained its own answer. A rearrangement of Quid est veritas gives us Est vir qui adest (It is the Man who is here); in other words, Christ Himself is the Truth (John 18:37-38).

The two words have been combined to make an English word, quidnunc, meaning a gossip; an over-curious person; or a busybody.

Whenever a teacher prepares lessons for pupils/students, he/she can not help but learn; that is, if she/he actually prepares the materials.

To put it another way, "The best way to learn a subject is to teach it." Every dedicated teacher knows the truth of this proverb.

Something given in return for something else; a favor in return, a substitution or fair exchange. It is a legal, as well as idiomatic, term indicating the necessity of mutual back-scratching; especially, in business and politics.

The full proverb is Quidquid agas prudenter agas et respice finem and is translated as "Whatever you do, do with caution, and look to the end."

A shorter version using, Respice finem, is translated as, "Look before you leap."

Horace advised us to live in the here and now because nobody can live tomorrow until it becomes today.

Attributed to Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65-8 B.C.) or Horace, in his Odes, I; 9, 13.

Better translated as "Don't disturb things that are at peace"; and by extension: "Let sleeping dogs lie."

There are those now who say, "If it isn't broken, don't try to fix it." Then there are the slang-mongers who say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

The words and the Son were not included in the original Nicene Creed. The later insertion of these words occasioned the Filioque dispute; that is, one of the apparently irreconcilable differences between the Latin and Greek Orthodox churches.

Motto of Perse Grammar School, U.K.

A man (or woman) must accept responsibility when he/she empowers another to act in his/her place. A legal term that states that the acts of an agent are the acts of the principal.

Another translation version is "For he who fights and runs away may live to fight another day." The Latin proverb was written by Tertullian who was quoting a Greek source on the futility of making a last-ditch stand when the reality most likely could be a complete wipe out.

A Latin statement informing the world that everyone will have to accept you as you are and has the alternative translation of "Love me, Love my dog."

The ancient Greeks said there were four elements, or forms, in which matter could exist: fire, air, water, and earth. The Pythagoreans added a fifth element known as the fifth essence (quintessence) ether [EE thuhr]; more subtle and pure than fire, and consisting of a spherical or circular motion that flew upwards at creation and formed the basis of the stars.

It was considered the ultimate substance of which the heavenly bodies were thought to be composed. Now the word stands for the essential principle or the most subtle extract [pure, undiluted essence] of a body that can be obtained.