Forms of verbal address between officers and soldiers.

[Triarius]

I'm writing several novels that concern ancient Rome. I recently asked this question in the forum thread "Sir! Yes, Sir!" so I thought I'd take a poll.

Of course, what the editor thinks may be a different story… :roll:

[Lucius Galerius Falconius]

Yes, domine or Understood, domine / Right away, domine. Something to that effect.

[Memmia]

I agree, yes Domine etc

[Neuraleanus]

to see how romans addressed each other. Remember that roman society was very stratified by class. People of the same class often addressed each other by frater or soror, brother or sister, superiors by domine, their tent mates by contubernalis.

[Marcus Mummius]

'Yes, master.' would be good too IMO.

[Gaius Decius Aquilius]

I have heard reference to all soldiers and veterans being refered to as Miles, a permanent title. Rank seems to be a more formal designation of social status that today. I am not a Latin scholar but I seem to recall that an affirmative answer was often a rephrasing of the first statement. Something like "You will stand on guard." The answer would be something like,"I will stand guard". The sentence structure being different.

What may be the most relevant resource here is ancient literature, in particular things like they plays of Plautus. Modern translation for theater is suspect, but the original dialog that occurred between characters would be of interest. The musical "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" is an adaptation of Plautus's Punic War era play, "Miles Gloriosus" -The Braggart Soldier. (Incidental, Gloriosus has a scutum that is much larger than average, and is polished by his servant. There are other contemporary reference to the indicate that fancy or large scutum is a laughable practice. )

I also would not assume any common military practice of today was practiced then. This is in form of address and behavior. The concept of discipline is more a willingness and submission to training than the modern "shine your boots" nit picking approach. I dont know of any sculpture, coin, or anything that resembles modern stance of attention or anything like it. The "military step" I think, refers to the ability to do a route march than the D & C inflicted on modern armies.

R. Izard
former non-srtack troop who was able to dodge the only parade he supposed to be in

[Tarbicus]

I have heard reference to all soldiers and veterans being refered to as Miles, a permanent title.

Don't forget 'caligatus'. I get the impression it was more commonly used by and large than 'miles'.

[Triarius]

I have heard reference to all soldiers and veterans being refered to as Miles, a permanent title.

Don't forget 'caligatus'. I get the impression it was more commonly used by and large than 'miles'.

The Roman equivalent of Boot, perhaps. This should encourage USMC recruits, no end.

[Robert Vermaat]

I would find any combination of 'Yes' with a Latin word very strange.. So either Latin or English, not a combination.

[Endre Fodstad]

I would find any combination of 'Yes' with a Latin word very strange.. So either Latin or English, not a combination.

It could quickly become a rather confusing and/or irritating text otherwise...since the roman characters presumeably are speaking latin to one another in the rest of the text!

[Tarbicus]

It's not confusing if 'domine' is a title, otherwise 'centurio' should be 'colonel', etc, etc. 'Sir' is an anachronism IMHO, as 'sir' is also a title, just like a 1930's New Yorker would say 'Mister'. No matter how you look at it, there's gonna be a mix anyway.

[Endre Fodstad]

Possibly not...but "dominus/domine" translates to lord/master, not "sir" (as Mummius already has proposed), as far as I know...I wasn't arguing for anyof the proposed forms.

I've always been personally fond of the way Tolkien integrates his myriad of dead or just "other" languages in The Lord of the Rings: when they're speaking Westron, as they are most of the time, he just uses the english of his day. If they start babbling away in elvish or dwarvish or whatever, he uses the languages themselves (sometimes explaining the meaning in the text, sometimes forcing you to the appendices) or just says something like "and then they conversed at length in xxxx".

[Tarbicus]

Possibly not...but "dominus/domine" translates to lord/master, not "sir" (as Mummius already has proposed), as far as I know...I wasn't arguing for anyof the proposed forms.

Actually, one of the translations in Lewis' Latin Dictionary is 'commander'. Seems ideal to me.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

What is 'yes' in Latin?

[Tarbicus]

http://www.hhhh.org/perseant/libellus/a ... e.336.html

* vero, in truth, true, no doubt, yes.
* ita vero, certainly (so in truth), etc.
* etiam, even so, yes, etc.
* sane quidem, yes, no doubt, etc.
* ita, so, true, etc.
* ita est, it is so, true, etc.
* sane, surely, no doubt, doubtless, etc.
* certe, certainly, unquestionably, etc.
* factum, true, it's a fact, you're right, etc. (lit., it was done).