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The Golden Hinde

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Owl

Owl

Born to be Wise
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I just know one of you on the history forum will know this.

Francis Drake's rigged galleon the "Golden Hinde" is on display at St. Mary Overie dock in London (well, the reconstructed version is).

It has a Latin motto on the back - "cassis tutis sima virtus".

I was never that diligent a Latin student and this one defeated me. I'm guessing that it's nothing to do with the virtues of that French blackcurrant liqueur.
 
"No protection but virtue"?

or "No protection like virtue"?


I am guessing here. I'm no Latin scholar.:D
 
Nobody knows, or nobody cares?

Come on, let's try...
"cassis" definitely means "helmet"...
"virtus" means virtue, particularly the manly/ military vitues eg courage, etc
"tutis" appears to come from the verb meaning to guard or protect..
but "sima" must have been an Elizabethan spelling mistake!

If you don't know, humourous suggestions will do until we find ourselves a proper Latin scholar
 
My last try may be close to the mark. Keep in mind Drake's character, and it suits him.

Of course, there's always the chance that you're right and they were warning people not to damage their chrome.:D
 
Or maybe it's "my other boat is a Ferrari...."

Thanks for the link, Pirate, I'll make a note of that for the kids' homework!
 
Come on, let's try...
"cassis" definitely means "helmet"...
"virtus" means virtue, particularly the manly/ military vitues eg courage, etc
"tutis" appears to come from the verb meaning to guard or protect..
but "sima" must have been an Elizabethan spelling mistake!
Click to expand...

I think "Sima" is some form of either the verb simulo (Courage is like a guard's helmet,) or the adjective simulus (Courage protects like a helmet.)

According to my dictionary "Sima" means broad nosed, (A helmet protects the broad nosed, courageous person.) Maybe Drake took one to many hits to the face...
 
I went aboard the Golden Hind at Brixham in Devon and was amazed by how small it was! Very low ceilings as well so perhaps a suitable translation would be "Low ceiling safety helmets must be worn" or similar :D
 
I thought "Magister = latin teacher", here we go, here's the answer....oh well.

Maybe it's just wrong - perhaps Drake's Latin wasn't up to the same standard as his navigation.
 
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