Expert: Maria - 2/17/2005

Question
Hi Maria,

I wonder if you can tell me what my family coat of arms motto stands for?  I think it is latin.  If it helps my family is of French origin.

The motto is "PER DAMNA PER CAEDES"

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Paul

Answer
Hi Paul,

The motto "PER DAMNA PER CAEDES" , which is a quotation from Horace's Odes, book 4, Ode 4, line 59, means literally “Through loss, through shearing”  as it refers immediately to a holm-oak that, having been shorn by the double–edged axe for the bounty of the black foliage, draws renewed life and power from the very steel itself.

Horace uses this simile from nature to indicate how life recovers  its  strength even through sufferings and failures as well as the Romans would recover their strength and power even after a defeat so that they  became victorious again.

In short, your family motto points out this skill in overcoming any difficulty.

Best regards
Maria
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Nota Bene
PER=through
DAMNA=loss
PER=through
CAEDES= shearing