Question I'm creating a family crest with a phrase that is used constantly around our
house: "I thought you knew!" What would it be in latin? A second phrase used
informally by our Air Force squadron was:"I came, I saw, I left!" How would the
Romans have written it? Thanks so much for your time and effort!
Answer Hello,
"I thought you knew” translates as “Te id scire credebam” or “Vos id scire credebam” (see below).
As for “I came, I saw, I left!" as an ironic adaptation of "Veni, vidi, vici" ("I came, I saw, I conquered"), i.e. the laconic despatch in which Julius Ceasar announced to the Roman Senate his victory over king Pharnaces in the battle of Zela ( Asia Minor-today Turkey) in 47 BC , it would be as follows: “Veni, vidi, abii”, if ‘I left” means “ I went away”, as I think.
Otherwise tell me please what’s the sense of “I left” which would be “reliqui” or “deserui” in Latin, but however would need a direct object in a Latin sentence.
Best regards,
Maria
_____________________________________
Note that:
-I thought = CREDEBAM (imperfect of the verb CREDO, I think/I believe)
-you knew = TE ID SCIRE , if “you” is a 2nd.person singular pronoun / VOS ID SCIRE , if “you” is a 2nd.person plural pronoun.
Note that TE / VOS ID SCIRE is an infinitive clause in Latin with the infinitive mood SCIRE and the accusative TE / VOS.
