AMERICAN MONEY MOTTO TRANSLATIONS SOUGHT

Here at Whitman we're working with the ever-fecund Dave Bowers on a book of mottoes and inscriptions on American money. It's a charming and delightful volume, richly illustrated, and it will be published next year.

Here are a few Latin and/or Latinesque mottoes that have raised questions during our editorial process. We'd like to have E-Sylum readers weigh in. Some of the following have already been discussed in rounds of email conversation, but we invite translations and insight from a wider audience. Are the translations included here accurate and precise? Are perfect accuracy and precision even attainable goals? Are there any E-Sylum readers who speak conversational Latin at home, or do we all reserve it for the office and the book club?

• SUB CLYPEO – "Under Divine Protection"
• CLARET AB ICTU – "It shines from use"
• NUSQUAM SUB MOLE FATISCIT – "Nowhere does it weaken under weight"
• TUTA PEDAMINE VIRTUS – "Honor safe in its support"
• DOMINUM GENEROSA RECUSAT – "The well-born refuses a master"
• NEC ONUS NEC META GRAVÆRT – "Neither burden nor danger will force me down"
• BONÆ FIDEI SIGNUM – "A good common bond"
• VISUI PERDUS – "Visualizing danger"

Thanks in advance for any help, and best wishes to all for a wonderful holiday season.

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