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12-18-2003, 12:33 AM

I was wondering if anyone can assist me in finding the exact Latin phrase for what the slave would whisper into a General or Emperor's ear during his Triumph. 
 
I believe it is, in English, "you are not a god." 
 
Thanks

12-18-2003, 05:09 AM

Look behind you. Remember that you are a man. 
respice post te. hominem te memento. 
 
BUT this is one of those 'facts' which everyone knows but actually looks a bit more iffy when you check out the limited evidence available. It is an interpretation to say that this means "remember you are not a god". The best source for this interpretation is the Christian author Tertullian. This is what he says (Apology, 33.4): 
 
"satis habeat appellari imperator. grande et hoc nomen est, quod a deo traditur. negat illum imperatorem qui deum dicit; nisi homo sit non est imperator. hominem se esse etiam triumphans in illo sublimissimo curru admonetur. suggeritur enim ei a tergo: 'respice post te. hominem te memento.' et utique hoc magis gaudet tanta se gloria coruscare, ut illi admonitio condicionis suae sit necessaria. minor erat, si tunc deus diceretur, quia non vere diceretur. maior est qui revocatur ne se deum existimet. 
 
Let him think it enough to bear the name of emperor. That, too, is a great name of God's giving. To call him God, is to rob him of his title. If he is not a man, emperor he cannot be. Even when, amid the honours of a triumph, he sits on that lofty chariot, he is reminded that he is only human. A voice at his back keeps whispering in his ear, "Look behind you; remember you are but a man." And it only adds to his exultation, that he shines with a glory so surpassing as to require an admonitory reference to his condition. He is a lesser man, if then he is called God, because it is not said truly. He is a greater man who is reminded that he should not think himself God." 
 
The problem is that this is not clearly a reference to every triumph, nor is a slave mentioned (the best evidence for the slave is, as far as I know, the image of a triumph on a cup from the Boscoreale treasure), and Tertullian is using the reminder to make a religious point. In fact, is the reminder "from behind" not a literal voice, but that of conscience? The Tertullian is unclear, and other sources (e.g. Arrian) are even less explicit. 
 
In Zonarus' epitome of Cassius Dio (7.21.9) we get a somewhat different explanation: that the general should be conscious that disaster may follow, because human life is changeable. The reminder might therefore not be to stop the general from becoming big-headed, but to remind him that, human life being so changeable (common theme in ancient literature), he should enjoy his success while he can... 
 
Shaun

Lepidina · 12-20-2003, 10:20 AM

Random thought - Is this the origin of the "memento mori" that appears in Medieval and Renaissance artwork? 
 
Deb

12-20-2003, 02:07 PM

No I don"t think so Deb. 
The phrase Memento Mori is "remember you are going to die". 
In the medieval world it was used to urge people to repend and believe in Christ before it was to late. Otherwise you would end up in hell. 
 
The phrase "remember you are not a God" had a different aim. 
A triumphant general was granted a big parade to the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. During the parade he was waring the toga, tunica and insignia wich were normally reserved for Jupiter himself. The face of the general was painted red, like the face of the statue in the temple. So the general was for a short while impersonating a divine being. The whole parade was an acting out of Jupiter leading his Roman people onto victory. 
If this charade got to his head, a "divine general" would risk to anger Jupiter.An if the optimus maximus got angry this was bad news for the whole population of Rome. So during the triumphus a special slave had to keep the generals "feet on the ground". General, even if you look like a God,remember, you are still a mortal being. 
 
 
Even if the discussed phrase means "your luck may change" 
this was not a remainder to the triumphator of his mortality and his moment of death. 
In Rome the bestowing of honours was very important. Why spoil some-ones finest hour? Maybe to keep the social balance. The soldiers of the triumphant general were allowed to make mocking remarks about him during the triumphus. This was the case with Gaius Iulius Caesar. 
But why should they mock a man who brought honour to their legion and ... who was responsible for their pensions? A fine reason would be to keep the general in his mortal place and , in this way, not anger the immortal god he was "replacing" during the parade. The place of the mocking soldiers in the parade is interesting: behind the chariot of the triumphator. 
 
 
Vale, 
 
Gaivs Civilis

Lepidina · 12-20-2003, 06:17 PM

Ah. Dingbat me. I've always mistranslated it as "Remeber that you are mortal." (5 years of Latin and I still can't translate.) 
 
Thanks! 
 
Deb

12-21-2003, 03:44 AM

Don't worry Deb. There is nothing wrong with the translation. 
But the interpretation of the words differ. 
 
For medieval Christians a man can't rise to the status of a God. There is only one god in their worldview.So "Remember your mortal" can in this context only mean "Remember your going to die". 
 
For ancient Romans it was possible that certain men, emperors for instance, could rise to the status of a god. Emperors were promoted to this status after they died. 
So in this context "Remember your mortal", if ever used during a triumph, could mean: "Remember you are not immortal like a god (Iupiter) yet. 
 
On the other hand the warning during the triumph could have a second meaning also: With the soldiers marching behind his chariot, the triumphator was reminded to look behind him and know that he was not a god and his soldiers helped him to gain victory. 
 
I think in old Rome, both the social message and the religious one were present in just one "simple" phrase. 
 
Gaivs Civilis

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