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veni vidi vici

English translation: I came, I saw, I conquered

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Latin term or phrase:veni vidi vici
English translation:I came, I saw, I conquered
Entered by: Egmont

21:31 Sep 6, 2002
Latin to English translations [PRO]
Latin term or phrase: veni vidi vici
Veni vidi vici
Rick Marshall
I came, I saw, I conquered
Explanation:
veni, vidi, vici
I came, I saw, I conquered: Julius Caesar's report to the Roman Senate of a victory
[Webster's]

It's Latin, not Italian
Selected response from:

leff
Local time: 17:00
Grading comment
Thank you very much both for the help, and thank you also very much for the background information that you all provided. I expected maybe a short one or two sentance answer from a coputer dictionary, but when I found out that it was not just one, but close to a dozen well-educated humans that went to work just to answer my question, I was blown away. Again, thank you all

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +19I came, I saw, I conquered
leff
5 +2I came, I saw, I conquered
bergazy
3 +4I went, I saw, I conquered
Chris Rowson (X)
5 +1I came, I saw, I conquered
Antonio Camangi
1We enjoy it, Rick,
Chris Rowson (X)


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +19
I came, I saw, I conquered


Explanation:
veni, vidi, vici
I came, I saw, I conquered: Julius Caesar's report to the Roman Senate of a victory
[Webster's]

It's Latin, not Italian

leff
Local time: 17:00
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in pair: 6
Grading comment
Thank you very much both for the help, and thank you also very much for the background information that you all provided. I expected maybe a short one or two sentance answer from a coputer dictionary, but when I found out that it was not just one, but close to a dozen well-educated humans that went to work just to answer my question, I was blown away. Again, thank you all

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: And that's the only answer possible
1 min
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Raffaella Juan (X): I heard it from my Latin Professor
4 mins
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Henrique Serra: Is it not charming?
12 mins
  -> Yeah :-) Thanks
agree  Marian Greenfield: yet again....
15 mins
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  John Kinory (X): Correct it is; but why 'charming'? Hmmm ...
23 mins
  -> The question is charming, not my answer , I mean :-)
agree  nuvo: Yes, for sure. It is usually also used in sports now.
49 mins
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Cristina Moldovan do Amaral
1 hr
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Rowan Morrell: 100%
3 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Rafa Lombardino
3 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Rita Damo
3 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  luskie
3 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  marfus
4 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Piotr Kurek
8 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  pattyb
9 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Elisabeth Ghysels
10 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
agree  Maria Luísa Jacquinet
11 hrs
  -> Thanks :-)
neutral  Chris Rowson (X): It is very much the standard, but is it really correct? See below.
13 hrs
agree  Gian
16 hrs
agree  Simon Charass
5 days
agree  cmk (X)
175 days
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
I came, I saw, I conquered


Explanation:
See Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language.

bergazy
Croatia
Local time: 17:00
Native speaker of: Croatian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Rowan Morrell: First answerer has already said that.
3 hrs
agree  John Kinory (X): Come on, Rowan: this answer came in only 6 minutes after the first one. Bergazy may not have seen it.
1 day 50 mins
  -> Thanks John.
agree  marfus: with Mr Kinory about the neutral grade: the answer's right, just say it or skip altogether; timing is irrelevant
1 day 12 hrs
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
I came, I saw, I conquered


Explanation:
No question that this is literaly the only possible translatio. Going to the meaning, you should consider it was used to emphasize that the mission was performed in the most effective way: "I went to the site, I saw what had to be done to win and I did it!

Antonio Camangi
Local time: 17:00
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Chris Rowson (X): Only possible? But you yourself say "I went ...".
7 mins
  -> No doubt that "literal" translation from old latin "venire" is " to came". Old latin verb corresponding to " To go" is "ire".
agree  John Kinory (X): There is no need to conflate a literal translation with a rephrased version.
11 hrs
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
I went, I saw, I conquered


Explanation:
The first answer is the standard translation, which has been taught in schools, including mine, for over a hundred years. But is it really correct?

As Leff, says, it is Caesar´s report to the Roman Senate of a victory. This was the victory over Pharmaces, a rebellious king somewhere in what is now Turkey. This was a lightning supression of a rebellion, which was exactly what Caesar needed because of his political problems in Rome.

So he didn´t stay after the victory, he rushed straight back to Rome, and said this. But in English "I came" only works if you are still there, so I am really not sure that this standard translation is correct.

What Caesar might have said when he got back to Rome could have been "I arrived, I looked around, I conquered". But the "Veni, vidi, vici" is of course a slogan - it got taken up by the Roman public partly because it is so snappy, and really saved Caesar´s skin.

So the translation also has to be snappy. "I came ..." would be great if only it really fitted, but I think my proposal above is actually more accurate. But if you want the standard translation, you want the first answer.

Apart form this, take a look at my reference for some modern variants of this famous phrase, starting with "Veni, vidi, visa" - I came, I saw, I went shopping.

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Note added at 2002-09-07 11:05:53 (GMT)
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Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I stuck around

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Note added at 2002-09-07 12:14:15 (GMT)
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Note to acamangi: Sure \"venio\" is normally given in Latin/English dictionaries as \"I come\", but simple translation by dictionary is not always right, you have to think of the context.

Apart from this, is not \"veni\", with its forms such as \"ventus\" and \"venite\", etymologically related to the English \"went\"?


    Reference: http://www.write101.com/venividivici.htm
Chris Rowson (X)
Local time: 17:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 49

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  MafaldaDec
17 mins
agree  manducci
54 mins
agree  luskie
3 hrs
neutral  John Kinory (X): I remain unconvinced that 'in English "I came" only works if you are still there'. 'came' relates to 'saw' - at a given place. You could only see X if you were at the place where X is located.
11 hrs
  -> I went to Turkey and I saw traces of its past. But it would be odd for me to say "I came to Turkey and I saw traces of its past". Unless I am there.
agree  Michel74: another variant, I will maybe use it as the name of a futur web site (site for tourists sharing poi (point of interest) on a map) : I suggest : "veni-vidi-wiki" meaning ? ... "I went-I saw-I share", do you think it makes sens ?
1583 days
  -> I think for your wabsite you are better to use the usual version "I came, ..." because it is so well-known.
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2 days 8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
We enjoy it, Rick,


Explanation:
and it´s nice to help someone, particularly when, like you, they are appreciative.

Chris Rowson (X)
Local time: 17:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 49
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