Buffy Inscriptions

[darcydodo]

Just in case anybody's curious, the plaque in the monastery in Empty Spaces read as follows:

ΝΟΝ ΤΙΒΙ ΕΣΤ
ΕΙ ΣΟΛΑΕ
ΤΡΑΧΤΑΡΕ
ΛΙΧΕΤ

This is Latin written in Greek characters, so really it's:

NON TIBI EST
EI SOLAE
TRACTARE
LICET

which we're figuring is just about: "Only she can handle it, not you."

Comments

Re:

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

Oh, I actually am aware of Latin being written in greek before - but that's usually in heavily bilingual areas, such as the one mentioned above. There are a lot of latin inscriptions in and around Greece and it's outlying islands that use greek lettering, and it becomes more common in places like Egypt and the Anatolia region, where they learned greek before they needed to learn latin. The letter-conversion just made it easier (I can dig up my notes if you want ;) )

I'm just confused why it was used here/ Unless that was a Greek Orthodox Church, which there's no idiciation of, there's no reason it should be written greek. Although, it's prettier than latin, since it's Not English (I'm snickering here, but still). And I could recognize it as latin and even traslate it, but I could figure out why I was reading a word with an L when it so clearly had an upside down triangle. . .

I'm dumb sometimes ;)

[darcydodo]

when it so clearly had an upside down triangle. . .

*grin* It probably helped that the first line ends up looking identical, except for the sigma.

where they learned greek before they needed to learn latin.

Some pedagogist (probably Quintilian) even suggested that Roman children should learn Greek first. So that they could know Greek fluently.

So did you do some classics in college, then? :)

Unless that was a Greek Orthodox Church

Doubt it, given the way the priest was dressed. Maybe monanotlisa will shed some light on this with her promised analysis of the scene. :)

Re:

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

Ooo - must friend her, I always forget.

And, heh. I double-majored in Latin and Medieval History, with a focus on European areas.

Quintilian? Hm, I didn't think he suggested that - I know dork-face, um, sorry, Cicero did. Most aristocratic Romans were taught both Latin and Greek and would often use it interchangably - Ceaser and Augustus mention this and probably others, but I have a history focus, not a literary one ;) - although I doubt they used Greek lettering unless they were actually living in more grecian areas. . .

Damn, you made me start lecturing. Bad you! ;)

[darcydodo]

I double-majored in Latin and Medieval History, with a focus on European areas.

Cool. Well, I'm not a historian by any standard, but cool anyway. Mediaeval history stuff actually is sort of interesting. ;)

dork-face, um, sorry, Cicero

*evil smirk*

It might've been Cicero. Dunno, it came up in Greek prose comp (ugh) yesterday, but that doesn't mean I was paying attention. :)

Ceaser

Caesar, Caesar, Caesar! (But I'm sure it was just a typo.) *grin*

in more grecian areas

Or on a Hellmouth, evidently. ;)