Never surrender

Lilygirl86

New Member

Hey everyone!

I'm trying to get a translation for "never surrender" (originally never give up, but the number of translations I've seen of it makes me nervous of getting the wrong one).

I looked up this topic before and couldn't quite figure out which translation pertained to me. I'd like to get it as a tattoo to serve as a reminder for myself to never quit. I'm a cancer survivor and in the past i had attempted suicide.

I want it as a personal reminder, and in Latin so as to not make it as obvious. It'll be in a spot concealed by clothing, but I want to make sure it's the right phrase.

I read up on it here and got confused by the 1st and 2nd person perspective and plural/subjective etc. I'm not exactly what you might call an honor student
 
 

Matthaeus

Vemortuicida strenuus

  • Civis Illustris

  • Patronus

Location:
Varsovia
Check out the frequently asked translation requests sticky; there should be many explanations for this phrase there.
 

Lilygirl86

New Member

That's where I had initially seen posts about it, but I saw multiple translations of it. I wasn't able to follow when they began to discuss 2nd person, plural etc. couldn't figure out which would fit the meaning I have (the message is meant to me as a reminder)
 
 

Matthaeus

Vemortuicida strenuus

  • Civis Illustris

  • Patronus

Location:
Varsovia
The second one (prohibitive) is more emphatic, the first just a negated iussive.
 

Nikolaos

schmikolaos

  • Censor

Location:
Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
There are probably at least a dozen ways to say this. The first one, to clarify, basically means "you can't ever surrender".
 

Nikolaos

schmikolaos

  • Censor

Location:
Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
Numquam cede is actually an invalid construction, an easy mistake for students to make.

By the way, I'm going to move this thread to the English to Latin section soon. Just giving you the heads-up so that you don't wonder where it went.
 
 

Matthaeus

Vemortuicida strenuus

  • Civis Illustris

  • Patronus

Location:
Varsovia
Yes, that has already been answered. the one with cesseris is the stronger of the two.
Isn't this explained in the other thread?
 

Lilygirl86

New Member

I think so, I'm just having a hard time keeping up with everyone. Ive been looking up the meanings to quite a few words being used casually. Never was able to find out what iussive meant.

I'm very sorry for any frustration I've caused here. Numquam Cedas, never surrender, can be used as a message for myself (speaking in first person is it? Which is what I want).

I just want to be 100% sure since it'll be on a tattoo
 

JBentley

New Member

Numquam cedas would make it a hortatory subjunctive would it not?

This would make it more like a statement urging others to never surrender, rather than you yourself. I'm unsure of a translation to direct the statement towards yourself only however
 
 

cinefactus

Censor

  • Censor

  • Patronus

Location:
litore aureo
Matthaeus dixit:
Yes, that has already been answered. the one with cesseris is the stronger of the two.
Isn't this explained in the other thread?
Having just completed an essay on this topic, the evidence is conclusive that there is no difference in force between the tenses. The concept was proposed by Elmer in about 1900, and subsequently proved incorrect.
 
 

cinefactus

Censor

  • Censor

  • Patronus

Location:
litore aureo
JBentley dixit:
Numquam cedas would make it a hortatory subjunctive would it not?
No, it is a prohibition. The form was used extensively in all periods from pre classical to Ecclesiastical.

JBentley dixit:
Numquam succumbe would be my best guess
Ne was used with the imperative extensively in early Latin, and consistently with poetry. I have not found any examples of numquam being used in this fashion.
 

Lilygirl86

New Member

I feel almost as confused as when I got here after reading this :/. Numquam Cedas is more like "I will" never surrender as opposed to "you will" never surrender, right?
 
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