Expert: Maria - 11/16/2009

Question
QUESTION: We will be starting a group of ancient Iron age reenactors.
And where looking for a name. The idea is to have "Allies and Enemies" or maybe "Allies OR Enemies" but then translatet into ancient latin as how the Romans would heva used it. We figured out some things ourselfs but we would realy like the idea's and oppinion of an expert to.
We would not like to start out with a name that's wrong or strange... So what doe you think of:"Hostii quod Socii "
Or maybe "Socius quod Hostilis" ???

ANSWER: Hello,

If you want  the correct translation of “ Allies and Enemies" and  "Allies OR Enemies” into Latin, here it is:

-“Socii et Hostes“ (Allies and Enemies)

-“Aut Socii aut Hostes“ (Allies OR Enemies)

Anyway I have to point out that “Allies and Enemies “ as  a name for  a group of ancient Iron age re-enactors sounds quite strange, since this group either must be composed by allies or by enemies, simply because allies and enemies seem to be a contradiction in terms, while “Allies OR Enemies” is  reasonable.

As for “Hostii quod Socii " and  "Socius quod Hostilis", I’m sorry, but they both are absolutely wrong.

See below for grammatical analysis.

Best regards,
Maria
________________________________________
Note that:

-SOCII (nominative plural of SOCIUS, 2nd.declension) = allies
-ET = and
-HOSTES(nominative plural of HOSTIS, 3rd.declension)= enemies


-AUT = or. In Latin we must repeat this conjunction.
-SOCII (see above)
-AUT = or
-HOSTES (see above)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Maria.

Where going to portray several ethnic groups all but Romans during the iron age period therefor we could be friends or vow, seen from the perspective of the Latin speaking people of that time.

Answer
Hello,

Traditional date for founding of Rome by Romulus is 753 BC just in the Iron Age period which in Italy lasted from 1000 BC to ca.300 BC and therefore covers the Roman monarchy (from 753 BC to 509 BC) and the early Roman republic (from 509 BC to 27 BC).

As for “Allies and Enemies”, seen from the perspective of the Latin speaking people of that time, it is just “Socii et Hostes“ in the sense you say.

Bye,
Maria