Only the strong survive; There is no tomorrow

[needhelp]

Hi, can someone please help me with these translations please.

1. Only the strong survive
2. There is no tomorrow
3. One life One chance

Much thanks.

 

[Iohannes Aurum]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Here goes (note that I am a novice in translating):
1. Solum potens superstes est
2. Carpe diem ("Seize the day"; similar to "There is no tomorrow")
3. Una vita, una potestas

Please wait for others to reply first

 

[Matthaeus]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

For the first, I would suggest a quote from Terence: Fortes fortuna adiuvat or Audaces fortuna iuvat from Vergil's Æneid, fortune favours the brave/bold. For the third, semel tantum vivitur would be more in accordance with classical usage.

 

[needhelp]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Thanks guys.
I really want to go with "There is no tomorrow" but cant find a translation anywhere, i dont like carpe diem either as its very common. Iff anyone else can give a suggestion it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Matthaeus]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Well, in that case I'd write nullum cras, as tersely as possible, although I don't think this would make sense to a Roman.

 

[needhelp]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Why would it not make sense?
I don't understand.

 

[Matthaeus]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

The answer is logical -- there always is a tomorrow, whether you live to see it or not.

 

[needhelp]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Okay i understand what your saying. Is that the only way it can be said nullum cras or is there any other way of saying it?

would this work Carpe diem, nullum cras.

 

[Matthaeus]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

I'm sorry, a better way would be nullum crastinus.

 

[Bitmap]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

I'm sorry, a better way would be nullum crastinus.

crastinum

 

[Matthaeus]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

No, according to Traupman crastinus is neuter. Go figure.

 

[Bitmap]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Who's Traupman?
Do you have any evidence of that? Never heard of "crastinus" (which is actually an adjective) being a neuter noun

 

[Iohannes Aurum]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Traupman is the author of various Latin-English dictionaries, such as The New College Latin and English Dictionary.

 

[Matthaeus]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

He lists it as both adjective and a neuter noun. He's a Ph.D. in Classics at Princeton University. Never heard of him? Are American classicists ignored in Germany?

 

[scrabulista]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Does he give any citations of it being used as a neuter noun?

 

[Bitmap]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Does he give any citations of it being used as a neuter noun?

that's what I was asking

 

[Matthaeus]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Not that I know of. So, it's unreliable, then?

 

[Imber Ranae]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

Not that I know of. So, it's unreliable, then?

Either there's a typo or you're reading it wrong. Can you type out the entry for crastinus,-a,-um exactly as it is written in the Traupman dictionary?

 

[Matthaeus]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

crastinus -a -um adj tomorrow's; die crastini old abl form tomorrow || n tomorrow; in crastinum differre to put off till tomorrow

 

[Bitmap]

Re: couple tattoo translations please

since this was added to a sticky (THREAD: #5578) let me say once again that I don't believe there's such a noun as crastinus, -i (n)

Your entry n tomorrow sounds more like the neuter of the adjective can function as a noun meaning tomorrow. That's also what I find in other dictionaries of mine. I still think the proper translation should be nullum crastinum or nullus crastinus dies