VIR OMNIUM FEMINARUM ET FEMINA OMNIUM VIRORUM...

English translation: A man for every woman and a woman for evey man

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Latin term or phrase:	VIR OMNIUM FEMINARUM ET FEMINA OMNIUM VIRORUM...
English translation:	A man for every woman and a woman for evey man
Entered by:	Adam Bartley

10:09 Aug 19, 2002

Latin to English translations [Non-PRO]

Latin term or phrase: VIR OMNIUM FEMINARUM ET FEMINA OMNIUM VIRORUM...

Just the phrase. I can't understand what it means. I am leaning towards "A Man of all kinds is a woman and a woman of any kind is a Man..." but I am not sure.

John Pappas

A man for every woman and a woman for evey man

Explanation:
This phrase was used to describe Julius Caesar. Although it sounds like the sort of thing that Catullus would say I'm pretty sure it comes from Suetonius' Lives of the Twelve Caesars (sadly I'm not on my own computer at the moment, or I would check it through Phi). Caesar was famous for his avant-garde behaviour, compare poem 57 by Catullus, the opening of which I have seen well translated as 'Caesar and Mamurrus - a brazen pair of buggers'.

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Note added at 2002-08-19 11:19:16 (GMT)
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I\'ve found it. It comes from Suetonius\' Life of Julius Caesar chapter 52 (LII). Suetonius attributes the sentiment to Curio.

Adam

Selected response from:

Adam Bartley
Australia
Local time: 19:15

Grading comment

Well... am I immpressed or what? Thank you very much for your help. I need to take yet another latin course I guess... Your answer was perfect.

Take Care

John.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +6

A man for every woman and a woman for evey man

Adam Bartley

A man of all the women and a woman of all the men

Flavio Ferri-Benedetti

Man for/to all the women and woman for/to all men

Galina Nielsen

Answers

4 mins confidence:

A man of all the women and a woman of all the men

Explanation:
Uhm... this is what I see. Quite odd!
Where did you find it? :)

Vir: Man (nominative)
Omnium Feminarum: of all the women (it is a genitive plural)

et: and (not "is", that would be "est")

femina: Woman (nominative)
omnium virorum: of all the men (genitive plural again

I hope this makes sense... it is so strange ;)

Flavio

Distinction in Latin

Flavio Ferri-Benedetti
Switzerland
Local time: 11:15
Native speaker of:

Italian,

Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 155

9 mins confidence:

Man for/to all the women and woman for/to all men

Explanation:
The idea might be either
1. Two persons are described, both very popular with the other sex;
2. Someone like Caligula is described, bisexual, unsatiable person serving as a female to all men wanting him and as a male to all women he wants...

I am guessing, but grammatically it means something like the above adduced suggestion

Galina Nielsen
Denmark
Local time: 11:15
Native speaker of: Russian

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

A man for every woman and a woman for evey man

Adam Bartley
Australia
Local time: 19:15
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 8

Grading comment

Well... am I immpressed or what? Thank you very much for your help. I need to take yet another latin course I guess... Your answer was perfect.

Take Care

John.

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