# Heroes never kill



## AliceMargatroid666

Hello, everybody!

I'm trying to translate the phrase "Heroes never kill." As it implies, I'm trying to say that true heroes never commit murder or kill somebody, no matter the circumstances. Thanks in advance and sorry If I'm not being clear enough.


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## I.K.S.

Summum bonum virōs ne umquam occidere .
I can't find an equivalent for hero in Latin ,because the latin term '' heros'' would sound like a ''demigod'' in the phrase,so i used  (very good men) ''Summum bonum virōs '' instead in hope will work ?


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## AliceMargatroid666

Yes, that works pretty well. Thank you very much for your kind help, my friend! =)


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## Grugno

I think that that sentence has no sense at all... It is not latin. My proposal of translation is: Optimi viri numquam occidunt. "Vir" means not only "man" or "husband" but also "champion" in a military sense.


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## Scholiast

salvete amici!

I agree with Grugno about the nonsense in *تحادية قبائل الشاوية*'s suggestion (# 2), but _optimi viri numquam occidunt_ seems to be lame, not least because _occidere_ demands a direct object. I would suggest _vir honestus neminem occidit_ ("an honourable man kills no-one") or _nullus heros quemquam occidit _("no hero kills anyone").


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## AliceMargatroid666

Oh, thanks a lot, both of you. I admit my knowledge of Latin language is completely none, so I had no idea which was wrong. I'll take Scholiast suggestion then.

Again, thanks everybody for trying to help.


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## I.K.S.

Scholiast said:


> salvete amici!
> 
> I agree with Grugno about the nonsense in *تحادية قبائل الشاوية*'s suggestion (# 2), but _optima viri numquam occidunt_ seems to be lame, not least because _occidere_ demands a direct object. I would suggest _vir honestus neminem occidit_ ("an honourable man kills no-one") or _nullus heros quemquam occidit _("no hero kills anyone").


I would love to hear your feedback about the whole phrase,because i saw you used ''vir'' that Grugno found unsuitable ?


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## Scholiast

salvete de novo



إتحادية قبائل الشاوية said:


> Summum bonum virōs ne umquam occidere


There are several reasons why this does not work as Latin syntax. First, the absence of a finite verb (OK, skilled Latinists may sometimes use an infinitive, or, better, a string of infinitives) in place of (particularly) imperfect tense indicatives, but this is not recommended for beginners, and is unsuitable for isolated aphorisms. Secondly, though _summum bonum_ is a phrase known to philosophy and rhetoric ("the supreme good"), it cannot convey the idea, or ideal, of "heroism" or heroic behaviour. Thirdly, _viros _is accusative, but it needs to be the (nominative) subject. Fourth, _ne_ is not a negative particle, it is a negative conjunction used to introduce a clause such as an indirect command (e.g. _consules prohibuerunt civibus ne ad arma concurrerent = _"the consuls forbade the citizens to resort to arms").

Grugno is perfectly correct, that the word _vir _can mean "[military] man", but my feeling stylistically (OK, this is admittedly subjective) is that _heros_ is better for the context—cf. e.g. the marvellous passage of Virgil, _Aen. _6.305ff.

Of course I salute your endeavour to get to grips with Latin, and I don't want to sound patronising, but would urge that you do a little more homework... I'd be happy to help any time with enquiries.

Σ


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## I.K.S.

I learned many things from your detailed comment ,thank you Scholiast !


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