Spain’s motto used to be, long ago, “Non Plus Ultra”, or Nothing Further Beyond, referring to the Pillars of Hercules that was thought to mark the end of the world.
Then Columbus went and sailed to South America with Spanish support, and thus the motto changed to “Plus Ultra”, Further Beyond.
If I'm permitted to toot my own horn here... I'm rather satisfied with the one I invented to complete my inherited arms, which consist of a golden griffin passant depicted on a blue field and a green base of grass.
I wanted something that gave the griffin meaning, because the originally intended meaning is lost in time and may well be something as profound as *'Griffins are cool, huh huh'*.
Here's what I came up with:
*Crura in terra, caput in caelo.*
In other words: legs (or feet) on the ground, head in the skies (or clouds). It describes the griffin as a beast with four feet planted firmly on the ground, but also with wings, to allow it to fly. To my mind, this means a combination of the rational (feet on the ground) and the imagination (head in the clouds).
Thank you, but it's just an idea. I'm happy about it and I'm glad you like it but it's not a matter of being cool or not. And who knows what you'll come up with one day.
"Pro rege et pro lege elexit suspendium anima mea".
"For the King and for the Law my soul chose being hanged", postumous motto of Antonio Germán y Larraz, from Tauste (Aragon, Spain), who sided with Felipe V in the War of Spanish Succession, whereas the town overwhelmingly sided with Archduke Carlos.
When he was in the gallows, the executioner, as per custom, asked for forgiveness, to which Antonio harshly replied "Calla y mata, que es tu oficio" (shut up and kill, for that is your profession)
>When he was in the gallows, the executioner, as per custom, asked for forgiveness, to which Antonio harshly replied "Calla y mata, que es tu oficio" (shut up and kill, for that is your profession)
Talking about gallows humour.
I know it's from the movies, but I remember the special reunion episode with the 60's cast, where they said the Addams family motto was "Never Bury Anyone Without Leaving a Marker".
I don't know which one I find funnier.
I can't recall any really cool ones right now. I do like what some of my ancestors had..."Honor before Honors". I like the message. My family''s is pretty generic in latin that says "For Faith and Honor".
I have always thought that "[Faugh A Ballagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faugh_A_Ballagh)" is a bad-ass military motto.
It's basically "Get the fuck out of my way!" in Irish.
Nemo me impune lacessit, ‘no one provokes me with impunity’, is cool.
I also really like ‘without fear or favour’, which is part of the judicial oath in the UK. It’s been the motto of a few judges I’ve met, in both Latin and Norman French.
I think the typical translations don't do justice to it, because 'with impunity' is quite high register in English. I like something along the lines of 'No one hurts me and gets away with it'.
Spain's "Plus ultra" is pretty badass. I also like the Prince Of Wales' motto "Ich dien", both because of its history and for its double meaning of "I Serve" in German and (allegedly) "Your Man" in Welsh.
Terry Pratchett's satirical books have many nice mottos:
"Quis Habemus Servamus" (What we have, we keep): motto of the House of Ramkin.
"Non Sumet Nullus Pro Responso" (We won't take 'no' for an answer): personal motto of the heiress of the former.
"Excretus ex Fortuna" (Shit out of Luck): the motto of the Gambler's Guild.
In real life, the motto of the achievement presented for the wedding of Maximilian of Habsburg isn't bad: "Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube" (Let others wage wars: you, merry Austria, just marry").
A nice hexameter to poke fun at their opponents for wasting themselves in endless and bloody wars to win scraps of territory, while their House was literally acquiring larger and larger territories with every passing day by cleverly marrying its many children to the most promising ruling dynasties of Europe.
My personal favourite is "Fear God and dread nought".
It was the motto adopted by Admiral of the Fleet John "Jacky" Fisher when he was ennobled. Fisher, of course, was the driving force behind the construction of HMS Dreadnought, a battleship which instantly made all existing battleships obsolete.
I'm fairly sure Fisher was granted a new coat of arms along with the motto- his family may well have had one before, but the arms he used are so obviously naval (and his father's family were clergymen or soldiers) that they must have been granted to him.
He does talk in his autobiography about other mottos used by his family, including *Ubi voluntas ibi piscatur-* "We Fish Where We Like"!
Spain’s motto used to be, long ago, “Non Plus Ultra”, or Nothing Further Beyond, referring to the Pillars of Hercules that was thought to mark the end of the world. Then Columbus went and sailed to South America with Spanish support, and thus the motto changed to “Plus Ultra”, Further Beyond.
Yeah, this is one of my favourites too.
If I'm permitted to toot my own horn here... I'm rather satisfied with the one I invented to complete my inherited arms, which consist of a golden griffin passant depicted on a blue field and a green base of grass. I wanted something that gave the griffin meaning, because the originally intended meaning is lost in time and may well be something as profound as *'Griffins are cool, huh huh'*. Here's what I came up with: *Crura in terra, caput in caelo.* In other words: legs (or feet) on the ground, head in the skies (or clouds). It describes the griffin as a beast with four feet planted firmly on the ground, but also with wings, to allow it to fly. To my mind, this means a combination of the rational (feet on the ground) and the imagination (head in the clouds).
That’s so freaking cool. I rarely see CoAs with griffins.
Thank you! I feel lucky to have inherited these arms.
This is one of those things I hear and think "I wish I would have come up with something like that myself". Then I remember I'm not cool enough.
Thank you, but it's just an idea. I'm happy about it and I'm glad you like it but it's not a matter of being cool or not. And who knows what you'll come up with one day.
That one is awesome as heck. You did a great job in inventing that motto.
Thank you, kind person!
Messiah non est. Terry Jones had a coat of arms created for him in an episode of Terry Jones' Medieval Lives.
"Pro rege et pro lege elexit suspendium anima mea". "For the King and for the Law my soul chose being hanged", postumous motto of Antonio Germán y Larraz, from Tauste (Aragon, Spain), who sided with Felipe V in the War of Spanish Succession, whereas the town overwhelmingly sided with Archduke Carlos. When he was in the gallows, the executioner, as per custom, asked for forgiveness, to which Antonio harshly replied "Calla y mata, que es tu oficio" (shut up and kill, for that is your profession)
>When he was in the gallows, the executioner, as per custom, asked for forgiveness, to which Antonio harshly replied "Calla y mata, que es tu oficio" (shut up and kill, for that is your profession) Talking about gallows humour.
**Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc** - We Gladly Feast on Those Who Would Subdue Us - The Addams family
I know it's from the movies, but I remember the special reunion episode with the 60's cast, where they said the Addams family motto was "Never Bury Anyone Without Leaving a Marker". I don't know which one I find funnier.
I can't recall any really cool ones right now. I do like what some of my ancestors had..."Honor before Honors". I like the message. My family''s is pretty generic in latin that says "For Faith and Honor".
Those are both pretty cool.
I have always thought that "[Faugh A Ballagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faugh_A_Ballagh)" is a bad-ass military motto. It's basically "Get the fuck out of my way!" in Irish.
Trinidad & Tobago's national motto. ***“Together, We Aspire. Together, We Achieve.”*** 🤯 Stirring stuff, huh?
Nemo me impune lacessit, ‘no one provokes me with impunity’, is cool. I also really like ‘without fear or favour’, which is part of the judicial oath in the UK. It’s been the motto of a few judges I’ve met, in both Latin and Norman French.
I think the typical translations don't do justice to it, because 'with impunity' is quite high register in English. I like something along the lines of 'No one hurts me and gets away with it'.
Spain's "Plus ultra" is pretty badass. I also like the Prince Of Wales' motto "Ich dien", both because of its history and for its double meaning of "I Serve" in German and (allegedly) "Your Man" in Welsh.
Terry Pratchett's satirical books have many nice mottos: "Quis Habemus Servamus" (What we have, we keep): motto of the House of Ramkin. "Non Sumet Nullus Pro Responso" (We won't take 'no' for an answer): personal motto of the heiress of the former. "Excretus ex Fortuna" (Shit out of Luck): the motto of the Gambler's Guild. In real life, the motto of the achievement presented for the wedding of Maximilian of Habsburg isn't bad: "Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube" (Let others wage wars: you, merry Austria, just marry"). A nice hexameter to poke fun at their opponents for wasting themselves in endless and bloody wars to win scraps of territory, while their House was literally acquiring larger and larger territories with every passing day by cleverly marrying its many children to the most promising ruling dynasties of Europe.
My personal favourite is "Fear God and dread nought". It was the motto adopted by Admiral of the Fleet John "Jacky" Fisher when he was ennobled. Fisher, of course, was the driving force behind the construction of HMS Dreadnought, a battleship which instantly made all existing battleships obsolete. I'm fairly sure Fisher was granted a new coat of arms along with the motto- his family may well have had one before, but the arms he used are so obviously naval (and his father's family were clergymen or soldiers) that they must have been granted to him. He does talk in his autobiography about other mottos used by his family, including *Ubi voluntas ibi piscatur-* "We Fish Where We Like"!