Latin in Ohio
by Aquila Sim
m
ons, OJCL Sec
ond VP
Every day we are
fa
ce
d with subtle refe
sometimes word
rences to the clas
s in Latin are rig
sics, and
ht in front of you
original seal for
staring you dow
the territory of O
n. The
hio is inscribed w
“meliorem lapsa
ith the words
locavit," which tr
anslates to “he h
than the one fall
as planted one b
en.” This seal, firs
etter
t used in 1788, is
and is visible on
part of Ohio’s his
letters and o ffi ci
tory
al documents fro
became a state in
m that time unti
1803. Many of th
l
O
hio
e colleges in Ohio
mottos which es
also have Latin
pouse their values
.
• OSU: “D
isciplina in civita
tem” — “Educati
on for citizenship
• Xavier U
”
niversity: “Vidit m
ir
ab
ilia magna” — “H
wonders”
e has seen great
• Ohio Un
iversity: “Religio
doctrina civilitas,
— “Religion, lear
prae omnibus vi
ning, civility; abo
rtus”
ve all, virtue”
• Miami U
niversity: “Prodes
se quam conspic
without being co
i” — “To accomp
nspicuous”
lish
• University
of Cincinnati: “J
uncta juvant” an
“Strength in unit
d “alta petit” —
y” and “Seek the
highest”
• Case Wes
tern Reserve Un
iversity: “Possibil
beyond the poss
e ultra puta” — “T
ible”
hink
As Latin continu
es in our science
our world today
s and arts, it is al
; when we stop to
so still visible in
look around, we
is not just part o
remember that L
f our history in an
atin
cient Rome, but
Ohio.
also in the state
of
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