Expert: Maria - 7/21/2010

Question
What does Virginia's motto 'Sigitur Ad Astra' mean?

Answer
Hello,

Actually the motto you mention reads correctly as “Sic itur ad astra” which is a quotation from Virgil’s Aeneid, book 9, line 641 and means exactly "Thus one goes to the stars" in the sense that thus one increases his fame.

Best regards,
Maria
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Note that:
-SIC = thus
-ITUR (3rd.person singular, passive impersonal voice,present of EO, I go)= one goes
-AD ( preposition which takes the accusative case) = to
-ASTRA (accusative plural of the neuter noun ASTRUM, 2nd.declension) = the stars

Note that “Sic itur ad astra” is the motto of Richmond, Virginia, while Virginia State Motto is “Sic semper tyrannis”(literally, “Thus always be to tyrants" , i.e. “ Death to tyrants”).

Finally Virgil (70 BC-19 BC) is one of  the greatest Roman poets, known for his epic, the Aeneid, written about 29 BC.