# The Magnificent Thirty-First



## walkuere

Greetings, all. Once upon a time, when my brain was much younger and more agile, I was fairly good at Latin. Guess what? No more...  

I need a translation for "The Magnificent Thirty-First" (in this case, the "Thirty-First" is an engine company.) I was also going to make a play on the term "deus ex machina" by writing "deos ex machina" but wanted to check first. (I am using Seneca's "Ignis aurum probat, miseria fortes viros." I hope I am at least managing to get THAT right.  )

Any help would be appreciated.


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## Brazilian dude

The Magnificent Thirty-First what?  It depends on what you're talking about, because that will determine the gender to use in Latin.  It could be Magnificus Tricesimus Primus, Magnificum Tricesimum Primum or Magnifica Tricesima Prima, and this just to mention the nominative. 

By Deos ex machina do you mean the plural of God?  In that case it would be Di or Dii ex machina.

Brazilian dude


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## walkuere

Noite boa, Brazilian Dude (at least it's night here in my time zone.)
Anyway, to answer your question, the "Thirty First" in question is Engine Company #31, the firefighters assigned to that station. (The second half of the Seneca quotation will apply to the paramedics, if that makes any difference.) 
And "Dii ex machina," then? (I hope I at least got the Seneca quotation correct!)
Thanks for all your help! (I am trying to finish a design!)


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## Whodunit

Brazilian dude said:
			
		

> The Magnificent Thirty-First what? It depends on what you're talking about, because that will determine the gender to use in Latin. It could be Magnificus Tricesimus Primus, Magnificum Tricesimum Primum or Magnifica Tricesima Prima, and this just to mention the nominative.


 
As we don't know what gender the company has, I'd say "Magnificum Tricsimum Primum".



> By Deos ex machina do you mean the plural of God? In that case it would be Di or Dii ex machina.


 
"Di" and "Dii" are the plural words of "Deus"? I always thought it was "Dei".


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## walkuere

> Whodunit wrote:
>
> As we don't know what gender the company has, I'd say "Magnificum 
> Tricsimum Primum".

Almost exclusively male. While there are female firefighters, this particular company is male, with only an occasional female who is "subbing," assigned from somewhere else. There have been females assigned there, just not, evidently, currently.

It appears the paramedic part of the company is male and female (though again, mostly male) if that makes a difference for their translation of "The Magnificent Thirty-First." (I feel like a right idiot that I remember none of this.  )

I always thought that using the male was "safer" for unknowns and mixed-gender societies - is this correct?

> "Di" and "Dii" are the plural words of "Deus"? I always thought it was 
> "Dei". 

I'm at sea. I had thought the plural of god was "Deos," and obviously that was wrong. Does anyone know for certain before I commit this to a design?

Thanks for your help. BTW: LOVE your "sig line."


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## Flaminius

Di or dii is the plural for deus, _god_.


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## Whodunit

walkuere said:
			
		

> I'm at sea. I had thought the plural of god was "Deos," and obviously that was wrong. Does anyone know for certain before I commit this to a design?


 
"Deos" is the accusative plural form of "deus". I was referring to the nominative in the plural. 



> Thanks for your help. BTW: LOVE your "sig line."


 
Thanks.


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## judkinsc

It is "dei", however "di" or "dii" are sometimes seen in poetry.


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## Whodunit

judkinsc said:
			
		

> It is "dei", however "di" or "dii" are sometimes seen in poetry.


 
You are right. I just found out that "deī" was once shortened (or simplified) to "diī", which became "dī" later (the same happened to *ii*sti>*ī*sti).


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## diegodbs

As Judkinsc said, "di" is often used in poetry.

- Di meliora ferant
- Di te ament.


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