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Virtus Animum Alicui Addere

English translation: Virtue inspires courage in someone/Excellence instills courage in someone/ Courage gives energy to a man

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Latin term or phrase:Virtus Animum Alicui Addere
English translation:Virtue inspires courage in someone/Excellence instills courage in someone/ Courage gives energy to a man
Entered by: Luis Antonio de Larrauri

01:23 Sep 20, 2012
Latin to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Latin term or phrase: Virtus Animum Alicui Addere
Single line inscription (on a sword, modern).

There is an existing translation that translates it as "Virtue is the gift of inspiration." As I began to pick at the Latin, though, I began to wonder if that was accurate, and if so how. (I'd begun by simply wanting to know more about the nuance/connotations in the Latin phrasing, not doubting the overall translation.)

I suppose it is important to note that given the inscription is modern, I suspect the English "translation" may in fact have been the starting point, what they wanted to say before they then translated it _into_ Latin.

Nevertheless, I'm left with the situation where the Latin inscription is the "official" form and would still like to know what it actually means.

"Virtus" to "Virtue" seems to track fine (and yes I'm aware of connotations of what were considered the more "manly virtues" such as valor, courage, excellence etc.). But the grammar/translation of the rest eludes me, especially as the dictionary gives me "the rational soul; mind, soul, spirit; the vital breath" for "animum" in either sg masc acc or pl. masc. gen. poetic. And I expected addere to fit in with "gift" but that doesn't appear at all straightforward when I poked around online Latin dictionaries.

Help?
Derelei
Virtue inspires courage in someone
Explanation:
That's the idea. The only obscure issue as regards syntax is the infinitive "addere", which does not seem to fit here.
The Latin would demand "virtus animum alicui addit". The rest is clear, "subject, direct object, indirect object, (verb in the infinitive?)"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 days (2012-09-25 09:46:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

See Joseph's explanation (in the agree) about the infinitive. Passive wouldn't make sense here.
I translate animum for courage, as in "Ibi nostris animus additus est", but really they have a very similar meaning, to my mind, here. In fact, I would change my translation for this one:
Courage gives energy to a man
because I have seen these two words translated exactly like that in this phrase: Huius ego temeritati si virtute atque animu non restitissem...
In any case, the sense is, to me, that if you have willingness, strength of will (which, in the end, is a virtue, a good moral quality), this will give you the rest, the bit of energy you need to fight or to overcome an obstacle.
Selected response from:

Luis Antonio de Larrauri
Local time: 14:45
Grading comment
Thank you for your answer and for breaking it down for me - very helpful.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Courage to encourage others
Judit Babcsányi
4 +1Excellence instills courage (in someone)
Joseph Brazauskas
4 +1Virtue inspires courage in someone
Luis Antonio de Larrauri
3Virtue is the Gift of Inspiration
Sven Petersson


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Virtue is the Gift of Inspiration


Explanation:
:o)

Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 14:45
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Sabine Akabayov, PhD: you are not really addressing the question
3 mins
  -> Beam me up, Scotty! - The Asker asked for a back translation, I provided one.
neutral  Rebecca Garber: I read the Asker's question as a query for a more detailed version of the actual grammar and meanings of the individual words. You provided the Asker's point of departure as a conclusion.
11 hrs
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1 day 9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Courage to encourage others


Explanation:
Addere alicui animos means to encourage somebody. Virtus means courage, fortitude.

Judit Babcsányi
Hungary
Local time: 14:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian
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1 day 11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Excellence instills courage (in someone)


Explanation:
'Virtus' here probably carries all the connotations of its Greek translation 'arete', so it's difficult to decide which nuance might be best (manliness, courage, etc.). The dative is a species of dative of reference necessary after 'addere'.

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 08:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 56
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you so much. You and Luis both gave fantastic help--it was hard to choose who to give the points to. Thanks again.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Luis Antonio de Larrauri
2 days 22 hrs
  -> Gratias ago.
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4 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Virtue inspires courage in someone


Explanation:
That's the idea. The only obscure issue as regards syntax is the infinitive "addere", which does not seem to fit here.
The Latin would demand "virtus animum alicui addit". The rest is clear, "subject, direct object, indirect object, (verb in the infinitive?)"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 days (2012-09-25 09:46:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

See Joseph's explanation (in the agree) about the infinitive. Passive wouldn't make sense here.
I translate animum for courage, as in "Ibi nostris animus additus est", but really they have a very similar meaning, to my mind, here. In fact, I would change my translation for this one:
Courage gives energy to a man
because I have seen these two words translated exactly like that in this phrase: Huius ego temeritati si virtute atque animu non restitissem...
In any case, the sense is, to me, that if you have willingness, strength of will (which, in the end, is a virtue, a good moral quality), this will give you the rest, the bit of energy you need to fight or to overcome an obstacle.

Luis Antonio de Larrauri
Local time: 14:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you for your answer and for breaking it down for me - very helpful.
Notes to answerer
Asker: addere verb pres inf act addere verb 2nd sg pres ind pass addere verb 2nd sg pres imperat pass addere verb 2nd sg fut ind pass (from http://www.perseus.tufts.edu) - These are unusual forms (took me a minute to wrap my head around what a passive imperative would even be) but would any of the others make more sense than it being the infinative in this instance? Also, your translation uses both "virtue" and "courage" which I would have thought would both be possible translations of "virtus" but I'm not sure how both can occur? (And thank you--all of you--for your patience in helping me with this.)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Brazauskas: It seems to be a gnomic infinitive, commonly found in adages, proverbs, and the like.
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Joseph, above all for the explanation. I had found that usage (Verba virtutem non addere) but I didn't know about that inf.
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