# prima Veneziani e poi cristiani



## Casquilho

Salvete.

Can you please help me to translate to Latin the old Venetian motto, _prima Veneziani e poi Cristiani_, which means something like "first Venetians, and then Christians".


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## Agró

_Primum Veneti, deinde Christiani._


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## bearded

Hello
I'd rather suggest '' cives Venetiarum'' for 'veneziani', because 'Veneti' actually means (both in Latin and Italian) inhabitants of the whole Veneto region (e.g. citizens of the city of Padova are also Veneti).
_Primum cives Venetiarum, deinde Christiani._


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## francisgranada

bearded said:


> _Primum cives Venetiarum, deinde Christiani._


Why  _Venetiarum _and not _Venetiae_? There was only one _Venetia_, or it was used also in plural to indicate all the region?

(For the genitive plural of _Veneti, _sg. _Venetus, _I'd expect _Venetorum_. But I may be mistaken or I don't understand something  ....)


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## bearded

Some city names only had a  plural form in Latin: Venetiae, Athenae, Syracusae… These are called ''pluralia tantum'' (plurals only).
See here under _Origini del nome_:  Venezia - Wikipedia.


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## francisgranada

Thank you, Bearded. Now I understand why _Venetiarum_.


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## bearded




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