Tattoos and Ancient Greek

[billberg23]

"Risen from the ashes I am reborn."

Ἐκ σποδοὺ ἀναστὰς πάλιν γίγνομαι

ΕΚ ΣΠΟΔΟΥ ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣ ΠΑΛΙΝ ΓΙΓΝΟΜΑΙ 

If you travel in Greece, you might think of wearing the tattoo with caution (with a shirt, etc.).  The Phoenix was the symbol chosen by the military junta that usurped the Greek democracy between 1967 and 1974, and caused untold misery for the freedom-loving Greeks.  It was seen everywhere for seven years, and is still remembered with bitterness.
On the other hand, the Phoenix was also a popular symbol in the Greek war of independence in the early 19th century.  In a few years, it may be a toss-up ...

[billberg23]

"Love Life" seems to be a difficult thing for me to find the translation while keeping the same context, any suggestions ?

Not sure what you mean by "the same context," but here it is in its simplest form:

Τὴν ζωὴν ἀγάπα                            Plural: Τὴν ζωὴν ἀγαπᾶτε

ΤΗΝ ΖΩΗΝ ΑΓΑΠΑ                                    ΤΗΝ ΖΩΗΝ ΑΓΑΠΑΤΕ

[Christopher]

Wow I had no idea of that. I'll keep that in mind since im visiting Greece this summer. But thank you very much for the help.

[Saaa]

grah, sorry to be a pain again. but what is 'Alex' and 'Alexander' translated to in ancient greek? i have the first 3 letters down - θλε but i can't figure out the rest for fear of translating using the wrong alphabet.

can someone help out please?

[Saaa]

αλέξ &

αλέξανδερ

is that right?

[billberg23]

"Alexander" comes from the ancient Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (upper case ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ). 
As for the English name "Alex," the Greek transliteration would be Άλεξ (ΑΛΕΞ).

[rafinatraveller]

Within the last few years my life took a turn for the worst but in recent times I have been changing my life around for the better.  A majority of this came from fracturing one of my vertebrae and several family problems and I have basically pulled myself out of a really bad state that I was in.  Because of this I got a phoenix tattoo, as it signifies rebirth more or less and a fresh start, and I was hoping I could get some help with a phrase that would relate to the phoenix. 

I saw that farther down the forums this has been brought up but I was hoping to get a few suggestions.  I would like this in modern Greek as I am half Greek and my Greek heritage is very important to me.  If you could also give the correct way to pronounce the phrases I would greatly appreciate it.  I am going to be teaching myself Greek in the near future but your help in how to pronounce the phrases correctly would be a great help.

[billberg23]

Because of this I got a phoenix tattoo, as it signifies rebirth more or less and a fresh start, and I was hoping I could get some help with a phrase that would relate to the phoenix. 
I saw that farther down the forums this has been brought up but I was hoping to get a few suggestions.  I would like this in modern Greek as I am half Greek and my Greek heritage is very important to me.  If you could also give the correct way to pronounce the phrases I would greatly appreciate it. 

Rafina, how about αναγεννώμαι από την τέφρα μου?  It means "I am born again from my ashes." 
Upper case is ΑΝΑΓΕΝΝΩΜΑΙ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΤΕΦΡΑ ΜΟΥ, and it's pronounced

ah-nah-yen-no-meh  ah-po  teen  teh-frah  moo
(accented syllables in bold type).

[dionisios]

if possible i would like this name translated for a tattoo

Dionisios Demertzis


thank you... you can email me at nesnum@gmail.com

[banned8]

Your name in Greek would be:

Διονύσιος Δεμερτζῆς (modern Greek: Δεμερτζής)

[ZCHanson]

I have been browsing these forums for sometime, and i know everyone appreciates the work ya'll do translating. I have a question not exactly having to do with translation, but possibly assist in a future tattoo. My great-grandfather came to America from Greece in 1910, and served for the US in WW1. On his discharge papers it lists his birthplace as Gardikeon, Greece. After tireless searches I have not been able to find this on any map. I am believing that it is near Pireaus. Any help would be greatly appreciated! If this needs to be moved to another place just let me know and i will remove it! thank you so much!

[billberg23]

My great-grandfather came to America from Greece in 1910, and served for the US in WW1. On his discharge papers it lists his birthplace as Gardikeon, Greece. After tireless searches I have not been able to find this on any map. I am believing that it is near Pireaus.

There are several places in Greece called "Gardikion,"  all of them now known as "Gardiki."  None of them are very close to Piraeus.  You'll be able to locate most of them on a detailed map.  Cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardiki

On Google Earth, and on Google maps, the name is spelled "Gardhiki."

Good luck with narrowing your search!

[ZCHanson]

Thank you so much for the help!

[lalmerriman]

My name is Lalage and I am told that this is of Greek origin (meaning to babble or babbling brook). I would like 'Lalage' written in Greek as a tattoo. Could you tell me what the Greek translation is?, or what it should look like?
Thanks

[banned8]

The word is indeed λαλαγή (ΛΑΛΑΓΗ in upper case). The name was used by Horace in his Ode 1.22 for his beloved. It was not her real name, but was a pseudonym, from Greek (λαλαγή = 1. prattle 2. chirping of birds and grasshoppers or cicadas), presumably intended as a compliment rather than criticism. Here I read: In Ode 1.22, he speaks fondly, not cynically, of Lalage, his girlfriend in the poem ('dulce ridentem Lalagen amabo / dulce loquentem')... (translation: I will love the sweetly laughing, sweetly chattering Lalage). Elsewhere: Just as Horace is singing of Lalage, the 'prattler', in the Sabine woods...