We all know that Latin is a dead language, which has become the starting point for a whole group of languages used to this day. Of course, there can definitely be no talk about his living use, in contrast to certain environments.
How Latin is a dead tongue
Medicine can be called the real modern abode of Latin - after all, it was precisely it that was used to create the entire conceptual apparatus of this science. The pharmacology adjacent to it is not far behind in this regard.
The basic principles of this language, as already mentioned, served as the basis for modern Italian, Spanish, and even to some extent German, no matter how hard it was to believe.
The resurgence of popularity
As they say, everything new is the well-forgotten old, and the Latin language, or rather its phraseology, is one of the best evidence of this. The expressions characteristic of the vocabulary of the ancient Romans are now increasingly popular among literature, cinema and, oddly enough, tattoo culture.
Perhaps, it is Latin strings that are currently the most common variant of body decoration, which is understandable, given their melody and, in most cases, a deep meaning.
Expressions such as “Alea jacta est” are especially popular among young people who decide to get a tattoo that has real meaning and expresses their worldview in the best way. The only problem is that sometimes people decide on such actions, really not having an idea of what they have to deal with.
About the meaning of a popular expression
The phrase “Alea jacta est”, as one of the most popular options for tattoos, will be discussed in this article. If you translate the expression literally, in the Russian version the shade of fatalism inherent in the phrase as a whole will be especially obvious. “The die is cast” - that’s how you can translate such a common expression today, which is not so rare to find on someone’s wrist or, for example, neck.
Such attention to aphorism is absolutely not surprising, because, in addition to the deep meaning as such, it also has a very distinct shade of history, because its origin is associated with the legend of one of the most legendary rulers in history.
Who cast lots
The roots of the expression “Alea jacta est” date back to ancient Rome, when Gaius Julius Caesar made his most phenomenal conquests. According to legend, this ruler belongs to authorship in relation to the phrase that has received such an active use in modern times.
According to surviving evidence, the great Roman said just that, crossing the Rubicon River on the Apennine Peninsula. He did this for a reason - because at that moment the fate of many thousands of people and vast territories depended on his decision. The sacramental “Alea jacta est” at that moment was a kind of signal to the beginning of one of the greatest civil wars in history.
These words were even more significant due to the monstrously unequal forces that existed at that time. Crossing the Rubicon, Caesar did not have a sufficiently powerful army to easily conquer the necessary territories. Nevertheless, the lot was cast, the war began, and the strategic thinking of the great commander bore fruit.
The modern shade of fatalism
Now that we have learned how “Alea jacta est” is translated, we will understand the modern understanding of this expression. If initially it was more likely a post-factum that determines the further development of events, then in the view of modern man it is more a motivation for action.
“Alea jacta est” - a tattoo, usually designed to make it easier for people to make choices. It should encourage one or another development of events, removing from a person part of his responsibility.
Perhaps this is precisely the main reason why the expression “Alea jacta est”, the pronunciation of which is also quite melodic, has become so popular in modern times.
