Tattoos and Ancient Greek

[Kurstennicole]

thank you so much, are there any other fonts i can get that in, something kind of girly? if at all possible?

[banned8]

@Kurstennicole: Girly enough for you?

[funkdelight33]

Nickel, could you please do me a favor....

I am going to use the phrase "Know Thyself" for a tatoo.  I would like to use the most correct form for the ancient times which was inscribed on the temple.  I believe it was the ALL Capitals version b/c Lithos was what they used in Ancient Greece correct.  Could you attach that in a .jpg or .bmp version so I can print it and use it to trace.  Maybe a few different fonts if not too much trouble would be GREAT!

Thanks so much!!!

[banned8]

Stick to this (Lithos, upper case).



See also:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Gnothi_Sauton_Reichert-Haus_in_Ludwigshafen.jpg

[funkdelight33]

Perfect, thanks much!

[VanWilder]

I too was wondering if anyone could give me an accurate translation in ancient greek quotes for a tattoo. The one quote was "Come and take them" by Leonidas which I saw was already translated. The other is a quote by Alexander the Great. It is "There is nothing impossible to him who will try." I have used an online translator for it, but I dont full trust it (Plus, it's probably in modern greek, not ancient). I got "Δεν υπάρχει τίποτα αδύνατο σε τον που θα προσπαθήσει" I also looked up the greek alphabet and didn't see that first letter or the things over some of the letters. I also want it in ancient greek or whatever it would have been written in in Alexander's time. His name also, wikipedia.org says Μέγας Ἀλέξανδρος (Megas Alexandros). Again, ancient greek or whatever it would have been written in back then. Thanks

[billberg23]

I too was wondering if anyone could give me an accurate translation in ancient greek quotes for a tattoo. The one quote was "Come and take them" by Leonidas which I saw was already translated. The other is a quote by Alexander the Great. It is "There is nothing impossible to him who will try." I have used an online translator for it, but I dont full trust it (Plus, it's probably in modern greek, not ancient). I got "Δεν υπάρχει τίποτα αδύνατο σε τον που θα προσπαθήσει" I also looked up the greek alphabet and didn't see that first letter or the things over some of the letters. I also want it in ancient greek or whatever it would have been written in in Alexander's time. His name also, wikipedia.org says Μέγας Ἀλέξανδρος (Megas Alexandros). Again, ancient greek or whatever it would have been written in back then. Thanks

Your instincts are quite good, Mr. VanWilder;  the ancient Greek for "there is nothing impossible, etc." is phrased quite differently, and means "there is nothing that cannot be seized by them who have the courage."  See https://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php?topic=309.msg51361#msg51361 (Reply #616).  In capital letters (which was all they had in the days of Plutarch and Alexander) it would be  ΟΥΔΕΝ ΤΟΙΣ ΘΑΡΡΟΥΣΙΝ ΑΝΑΛΩΤΟΝ.
At least some of the difficulty arises from your seeing Greek written in lower case, with all the accents included.  Avoid lower case, and you won't have to worry about accents.  The word "megas" simply means "great."  In capital letters, "Alexander the Great" is Ο ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ.

[VanWilder]

Thanks a lot Billberg, you really helped me out. I also figured megas meant great, and I'm going out further on a limb and guess that the O you put at the beginning of Alexander the Great means 'the' so it'd be "the great alexander"? Does it make sense if you drop the O or did they normally write his name with the O? Just checking stuff before I make permanent additions to my skin. Thanks

[billberg23]

Thanks a lot Billberg, you really helped me out. I also figured megas meant great, and I'm going out further on a limb and guess that the O you put at the beginning of Alexander the Great means 'the' so it'd be "the great alexander"? Does it make sense if you drop the O or did they normally write his name with the O? Just checking stuff before I make permanent additions to my skin. Thanks

With his name alone as your tattoo, you can safely leave out the article O.  If you use the name in a sentence, the definite article will normally be required, as with any proper name in Greek.  In the Greek Wikipedia article on Alexander (https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%91%CE%BB%CE%AD%CE%BE%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B4%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%BF_%CE%9C%CE%AD%CE%B3%CE%B1%CF%82), you'll see three different versions of his name — Aλέξανδρος ο Μέγας, Μέγας Αλέξανδρος, and ο Μέγας Αλέξανδρος.
Btw check my earlier post:  I've corrected my misspelling of A's name (mistakes will happen!).

[VanWilder]

The tattoo I was planning was basically a quotation. Two lines of the quote "ΟΥΔΕΝ ΤΟΙΣ ΘΑΡΡΟΥΣΙΝ ΑΝΑΛΩΤΟΝ" you gave me, then one line under it, "ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ." Like how when people make quotations:

"Quote"
- Person who said it

Since it's that kind of thing and not in a full sentence, I'm assuming I can drop the O. You totally confused me with that last line though. I don't know what earlier post you are referring to. The one you linked me back to in your first post contained the quote in non-capital letters, but I didn't see Alexander's name in Greek so I'm not sure what spelling mistake and correction you are talking about. I'm going to assume the ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ you gave me is right unless you say otherwise.

Btw: I'm assuming ancient greek uses different lettering than modern greek because some of the cap vs non-cap letters don't match up to the greek alphabet chart I got off the internet. Specifically, from wikipedia it says 'Μέγας Αλέξανδρος' and you said 'ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ' As far as I can tell from looking them up, the ς is Ξ in caps, not Σ. Again, I have no clue on Greek at all, and that chart is probably not ancient greek, so if you could, please clear up my confusion.  Thanks for all your help

[billberg23]

I'm going to assume the ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ you gave me is right unless you say otherwise.

Yes, that's got it.
The Greek alphabet (upper case) was pretty much standardized in the Alexandrian period (3rd cent. BC) and remains the same today.  The lower case developed gradually over time from cursive script, and wasn't standardized until the middle ages.  The ς (final sigma) is Σ in upper case; the ξ (xi) is Ξ in upper case.

[Lucas]

@Kurstennicole: Girly enough for you?

Hello, just a quick question that would be greatly much appreciated.
I am getting the tattoo of true to his own spirit as on jim morrisons grave around myu waist in lower case, is it possible that anyone could show me this wording with the font that is used in the  quote.the second example down
its just so i can print it off to give to the tattoo artist.
much appreciated.

luke

[Marine99]

Hi i am very desperate to find the right translation for the tattoo i am getting in a few days. I just wanted to ask yall if you could translate the phrase "Strength and Honor" This would help me out so much.
Thank you

[billberg23]

See https://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php?topic=309.660.html (Reply #663).

[banned8]

Is this what you mean?