# Vide mira domi



## Ben Jamin

There is allegedly an inscription on Danish coins from the XVIIth century "vide mira domi". Some claim that it is an abbreviation of "vide mira domi*ni*" (watch the wonders of the Lord), and others that it is a complete text, and then it could be translated as "watch the wonders of the house". Who is right?


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## Cagey

I would translate 'Vide mira domi'  as 'See the wonders at home'  which I understand to mean something like "Stay home and see the wonders there."

It seems a bit drastic to change 'domi' to 'domini', unless there is some evidence that 'domini' was the original word.

*
Added*: In classical Latin, _domi_ is usually the locative form of _domus _and functions adverbially.  In classical Latin, _domus_ is the usual genitive, though the comic poets do use _domi_, say Lewis and Short.   It seems to me that the genitive fits less comfortably than the locative.


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## fdb

Alchemy

The link is perhaps of interest.


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## Ben Jamin

fdb said:


> Alchemy
> 
> The link is perhaps of interest.


I have seen it. This is the source of my quotation. But is this right?


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## Ben Jamin

Cagey said:


> I would translate 'Vide mira domi'  as 'See the wonders at home'  which I understand to mean something like "Stay home and see the wonders there."
> 
> It seems a bit drastic to change 'domi' to 'domini', unless there is some evidence that 'domini' was the original word.



Well, but does this interpretation makes sense considering that this is a text on a coin?


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## Scholiast

salvete omnes!

There are two reasons for supposing that _Domi_ here is an abbreviation for _Domini.
_
First, while _domi_ is indeed locative of _domus_, Latin, even Tacitean Latin, does not like such adverbial nouns without a verbal adjunct, such as (here) might be _sita_ or _reperienda_ ("the wonders situated/to be found at home").

Secondly, "behold the wonders at home" is pretty meaningless in the context of a numismatic inscription, whereas "behold the wonders [marvels/miracles &c.] of the Lord" is a reasonably understandable motif or motto for a 17th-century potentate's mintings.

Σ


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## exgerman

fdb said:


> Alchemy
> 
> The link is perhaps of interest.


If the link as given doesn't work for you (as it didn't for me), change _google.co.uk_ in the url to _google.com_


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## Ben Jamin

exgerman said:


> If the link as given doesn't work for you (as it didn't for me), change _google.co.uk_ in the url to _google.com_


The link is OK, I have already mentioned that this is exactly the source of the domi(ni) version.


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## exgerman

Ben Jamin said:


> The link is OK, I have already mentioned that this is exactly the source of the domi(ni) version.


The link is OK if you are in the EU. The rest of the world needs to use the worldwide link (which works in the EU also).


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## Glenfarclas

For those who are interested, the ducat in question is below.

I agree with those who feel "of the Lord" is a much more likely inscription on a coin.  Also, "domi" as an abbreviation for "domini" is not unknown; a very quick search turned up this book, whose heading refers to "domini nostri domi Sixti divina providencia Papae quarti" ("our lord, Lord Sixtus IV, by divine providence Pope").


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## fdb

Glenfarclas said:


> For those who are interested, the ducat in question is below.
> 
> I agree with those who feel "of the Lord" is a much more likely inscription on a coin.  Also, "domi" as an abbreviation for "domini" is not unknown; a very quick search turned up this book, whose heading refers to "domini nostri domi Sixte divina providencia Papae quarti" ).



...Sixti....


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## Scholiast

salvete omnes!

The suspicion now arises that in this context _MIRA_ is also an abbreviation, probably for _mirabilia_, which crops up frequently in the Vulgate (Ps. 9.2, 74.2, 88.6, 104.2, 106, repeatedly, 135.3, Is. 25.1, 64.3, Dan. 6.21 &c.).

Perhaps someone else here can usefully identify the precise origin of "Lo [or "Behold"], the marvels of the Lord"? Sorry, it's too late for me!

Σ


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## XiaoRoel

'Mira' es el neutro plural, en su valor substativador, de mirus, -a, -um. El uso es ya plautino, aunque la Vulgata prefiera 'mirabilia', más acorde a la prosodia del latín vulgar que prefier palabras con más entidad, polisilábicas (para resistir mejor los cambios fonéticos activo en la lengua en ese momento en el que sucumben, ut, is y otras palabras sin entidad fonética y se van abreviando las plabras con el paso de bisílabos a monosílabos). 'Domi' parece una abreviatura no rara del genitivo 'domini'.


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